City water back to normal
Water was
'always' safe to drink
Staff reporter
Water. We turn on the faucet and expect water to come out. When water doesn't come out, we complain.
If water with a different taste or odor comes out, we complain.
Hillsboro residents and businesses recently did quite a bit of complaining because of the taste and odor of the city's water.
The annual burning and flushing of water distribution lines by city workers left an undesirable smell and taste in the water which was caused by bacteria in the lines.
"We added ammonia to form combined chlorine," Morgan Marler, senior water plant operator, said. The ammonia can act as a fertilizer for bacteria. When the operators switched to free chlorine, the excess bacteria was burned out of the distribution lines
Why do it?
Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends, not requires, that plants that use combined chlorine, switch to the free chlorine once a year which is done during the warmer time of year.
The process has been done in previous years but the city did not have as many complaints.
"We logged 100-150 complaints this time," Marler said, but the problem appears to have passed.
Some dead-end water lines with low water flow have been flushed and there may be a few more that need to be flushed but, for the most part, the water should be back to normal.
Marler was quick to point out that even though the water didn't smell or taste as good as it should, the water to customers in Hillsboro and Peabody was always safe to drink.
"We sampled the water for harmful bacteria (with samples sent to KDHE)," Marler said, during the free chlorine burnout. "We met all KDHE and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) drinking water quality requirements."
If customers still are experiencing taste and odor problems, they should call the water treatment plant at 947-3189.
So, how's the water these days?
"The water is great," Marler said.
