City asked to provide more data about water quality

ThisWeek CW 12/3/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/11/30/city-asked-to-provide-more-data-about-water-quality.html

Canal Winchester city council member-elect Mike Walker followed up his campaign promises by suggesting the city provide more timely information regarding water quality improvements.

Walker said at the Nov. 16 council meeting he would like to see the city put out more information about water quality improvements so residents can make more-informed choices about home appliance purchases.

“I’d like to request that as we have continued improvement to the quality of our water, I’d like there to be a progress report of how those improvements are coming along,” Walker said.

“Citizens like myself don’t want to keep investing our money into things like new water softeners and other items to improve the water in our house if they are no longer necessary. I just think a progress report might be helpful.”

Walker suggested the communication could be distributed with the water bills.

Public Works Director Matt Peoples said the city completes an EPA-required consumer confidence report every April that provides water quality information, but he believes his staff could provide more timely information once results are in from a current water-testing program.

The test uses small pieces of metal, called coupons, which react to the chemical composition of the water; this helps to determine if changes made to address issues, such as controlling phosphate content, are working.

“We do an annual consumer confidence report mailed with bills around April but that doesn’t address current concerns,” Peoples said. “If you remember, we’re doing coupon testing to see how our system updates are working and we may start seeing those results the end of December, so we can do some sort of report out of that to get info out on.”

Water manager Joe Taylor said upgrades to the city’s water plant are on track and reclamation manager Steve Smith told council that computer management improvements at the plant should be completed before the end of the year.