Q I am in the north area of Commercial Street and have been dealing with the water main construction for the last couple of weeks. I know this is a major project for the city and am happy that they are improving the infrastructure of Emporia.
I have been able to deal with the early morning construction noise, the torn-up sidewalks, and the short-lived and infrequent water outages. One thing that has upset me, though, is the taste of our water now that they have completed their work on the new water meters out front. It tastes a little chemical and unnatural.
I wanted to know if the water is safe to drink and more importantly — when will we get our award-winning taste back?
A “First I want to emphasize that the water is perfectly safe,” said City Manager Matt Zimmerman. “It is tested before the new water main is put into service and meets all Kansas Department of Public Health standards for potable water.”
Engineering supervisor Jon Proehl explained that a high chlorine content is put into the new lines before they are put into use. The chlorine sits for 48 hours to kill bacteria, then is flushed away until chlorine in the line is at an acceptable level.
A sample then is taken and submitted to a laboratory to make sure no harmful bacteria are present.
“We wait until we get the results back,” Proehl said. “Usually, it’s a 48-hour wait. ... We will not turn it on unless we know for sure it’s safe to drink.”
The men speculated that the process may be the source of the “chemical” taste, which should dissipate quickly.
“This will improve as fresh water continues to flow through the new water main,” Zimmerman said. “This issue may continue as new sections of the water main are put into service in each block.”
He said that running water continuously for about 30 minutes may resolve the taste problem, if it hasn’t resolved itself already.
- Because You Asked is for readers with questions on topics of local interest. Questions may be sent to The Emporia Gazette, Drawer C, Emporia KS 66801. Questions need to be signed, but names will not be revealed. Questions submitted anonymously will not be answered.