Water Quality Initiative


Quality Water
The Board of Water & Light draws all of its water from wells which pump almost entirely from a layer of water-bearing sandstone 100 to 500 feet below the surface called the Saginaw Aquifer. The Saginaw Formation is shielded in most places from direct contact with the surface by layers of clay and shale, so contaminants do not easily get into the water at that level.

There are areas at the surface, however, which directly contribute to the aquifer, and these areas must be protected from contamination. The areas are called Wellhead Protection Areas, and the BWL participates in regional Wellhead Protection Teams which concern themselves with potential contamination of the aquifer through these areas. The Teams also search for and arrange for plugging of abandoned wells which can serve as conduits for contamination to reach the aquifer.

The 128 wells that make up the BWL system pump an average of approximately 21 million gallons per day (MGD) to either of two water conditioning plants . That's a lot of water! However, long-term measurements of the aquifer show that levels have not gone down overall and that the supply will be adequate for many years to come.

Water Monitoring Program
All of the well water pumped from the ground goes to one of our two water conditioining plants, where three-fourths (450 ppm in well water; 90 ppm in conditioned water) of the hardness is removed. The water is tested for contaminants, filtered, and distributed through underground mains under pressure to our customers. The maintenance of that pressure ensures that when leaks occur, the leakage is of conditioned water out of the main, not of dirty water into the main.

The BWL tests for a variety of constituents of water every day, in the well water supply, in the conditioned water through the plants, and in the distribution system which brings the water to your home or business. Tests for bacteria, softening parameters, inorganic and organic compounds are performed routinely in our laboratory to maintain the quality of your water.

One of the key factors in the maintenance of good water quality lies in the establishment of a disinfectant residual. The Board of Water & Light relies on the use of a type of chlorine called chloramine.
        CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CHLORAMINE

Chloramine has a number of advantages over "free chlorine":

First, it lasts longer. As water travels through mains, it loses its residual much more slowly than it would with free chlorine. That means that less must be applied at the water conditioning plant to achieve a residual near the end of the system.

Second, it imparts very little odor or taste. We are all familiar with the "swimming pool" odor of highly chlorinated water that detracts from its appeal. People seldom notice any odor from chloraminated water.

Third, it results in lower disinfection by-products. Regulated compounds like trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids are reduced by up to 90% compared to waters using free chlorine.

By conditioning the water, the BWL is able to stabilize the water brought to your tap. In maintaining consistency in the conditioned water, we offer you the ability to tailor the water to your use. A Typical Analysis, while not representing actual results at any particular time, gives you an idea of what ranges you might expect for a variety of chemical measurements.

Questions? Call Bill Maier, Water Quality Administrator at 517-702-6813.

Typical Analysis of Conditioned Water

* These parameters will more likely be at the high end of the range during
   high demand periods in the summer months of June, July and August.