Local News
City: Water meets all standards
By Patrick McCrelessAs far as Cullman city officials are concerned, they provide some of the highest-quality water in the area.
“We are meeting all standards ... it’s good quality water we sell to our wholesale customers,” said Junior Heaton, superintendent of the Cullman city water distribution center.
Inspectors with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) agree.
“They (inspectors) emphasized that the city of Cullman has excellent water quality when it comes to the drinking water system,” said Scott Hughes, spokesman for ADEM. “There have been no violations of contaminant levels in recent history.”
In a written statement released to The Cullman Times earlier this week, Cullman County Commissioners Wayne Willingham and Doug Williams stated, “the county is struggling with water quality issues right now from the water the city is providing. The county has water treatment needs that the city has not met; is concerned that the city will not be able to meet; and, apparently refuses to consider.”
The statement was issued in response to the city’s refusal to consider the county’s proposal of using Smith Lake as a second water source. The city plans to build a dam reservoir at Duck River to create a second water source for the area. The city currently provides water to the rest of the county through water from Lake Catoma.
One of the commission’s arguments for wanting water from Smith Lake is to cut down on disinfection bi-products in the water system in the southern parts of the county.
Disinfection bi-products are formed when disinfectants from treatment plants react with organic matter in water. The longer water has to travel in a water system to reach customers, the more disinfection bi-products will develop.
Heaton said the city pulls random samples from the water system every quarter during the year, which are tested for disinfection bi-products by a private company. ADEM then inspects those results.
David Freeman, superintendent of the Cullman city water treatment plant, said 80 parts per billion gallons is ADEM’s accepted limit for disinfection bi-products.
“We’re averaging in the low 30s for parts per billion gallons by the time it gets to the county,” Freeman said.
Heaton noted that once the city’s water has reached county water meters, its quality is no longer his concern.
“ADEM says that once water reaches a Cullman County meter, the city of Cullman is no longer responsible for the quality of water,” Heaton said. “Every water system has to meet the guidelines on its own.”
Freeman said the best, cheapest ways to cut down on disinfection bi-products are to flush water pipes periodically and empty and refill water tanks every few days.
“You have to keep tank water going up and down, you can’t keep water in there too long,” Freeman said.
* Patrick McCreless can be reached by e-mail at patrickm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.
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