Dundee plans to improve water quality

DUNDEE--The Dundee village board approved taking the next step in a possible solution to brown water issues during their meeting Tuesday, May 10. E.J. Prescott Inc. Sales Representative Tim Leaf spoke to the board about a way to help improve Dundee's water system by helping reduce the amount of phosphates the village uses in the water, while also increasing the distance chlorine travels throughout the village water system.
Phosphate injections into the water lines help keep the lines clean by preventing internal pipe corrosion. However, Leaf said the bacteria that travels down the pipes can build up on the phosphates on the pipe walls, which is referred to as "biofouling." He noted the chlorine is always chasing this bacteria, but as the water travels farther away from the chlorine injection site, chlorine levels become less and less.
Leaf said there is a product from Blue Earth Labs called Clearitas that is a formulation of oxidized chlorine specifically engineered to remove organic and inorganic deposits within water distribution systems. He said this acts as a booster to chlorine that can not only reduce phosphate use, but also improve the color and taste of water as well. Leaf noted there will be a slight increase in the amount of chlorine used for a short amount of time, but will eventually decrease, along with possibly eliminating the need for phosphate over time.
"This will balance out the whole system from one end to the other," Leaf said, referring to the village's chlorine levels. He noted the next step is to talk to a representative from the Department of Health (DOH) and apply for a permit. Leaf estimated it would cost $3,800 a year, saying there is a bit of an investment up front, but as time goes on, the village should use much less than at the start.
Mayor Fred Cratsley Jr. noted the village has historically had a brown water problem on the east side of the village, adding the homes near the wells and tanks have higher chlorine levels, while they are extremely low on the other end. He said there have been a lot of complaints regarding the taste of the village's water and that it would be worth looking into the next step with the DOH. Cratsley said this is not a firm commitment to utilizing the product, but the board will come to a decision on a later date once they hear back from the DOH.