MITCHELL - MARCH 16, 2024 - Last week, on Friday a contractor working at a local company in the South Lawrence Water Corporation coverage area shut off a valve to the corporation's 12 inch line.
The contractors was working on that company's fire line and sprinkler system shutting off an incorrect valve. This caused massive pressure on the water system and causing the water quality issue.
That company has not been identified by the water corporation but the Lawrence County Zephyr has learned that the incident occurred at IU Health Radiology on Indiana State Road 37 South.
Photo: Several South Lawrence Water Corporation customers has been dealing with unusable water for more than 10 years as their water rates will increase 4 percent
This caused a massive water leak that went undetected for 24 hours that was not located until Saturday.
The incident caused manganese to break off in the line, causing widespread discoloration and customers could not use the water for drinking, laundry, taking showers or other uses for several days.
The South Lawrence Water Corporation flushed out hydrants to clean the manganese out. During that period of time 11 flush hydrants were running for 48 continuous hours to clear the water.
" If customers are still experiencing this issue they need to call the water company, we do not know the problem exists unless we are notified," said Eric Flinn South Lawrence Water Corporation. " We are trying our best," added Flinn.
Several water customers over the last several months have been attending the regular meetings of the South Lawrence Board of Directors seeking answers and keeping them on notice that they are being billed for unusable water prior to Friday's incident.
On Thursday about 10 - 20 customers attended the meeting still seeking answers with one customer bringing his water filter that only last a couple days with having to be replaced with dirt and sediment.
Besides of having to pay an increase in water rates over the last several years, the costs of having to purchase water filters systems for their homes, and trying to come up with other solutions just to be able to drink and use the water has became expensive for their customers.
Lawrence County Zephyr was asked by South Lawrence Water customers to attend a meeting back in February 2023 to seek answers for their issues with the small water utility of about 2,700 customers.
This last Thursday, the Lawrence County Zephyr was again asked to return to seek answers to the ongoing problem over the last 10 years.
" We are waiting on the federal government, Bill you know how long that can take," replied Frank Dumond long-time board member of the utility.
Photo: South Lawrence Water Corporation South Lawrence Water Superintendent Eric Flinn explains what is going on with the water utility and what they are doing to address the situation
Both sides was cordial during the meeting, this last Thursday as the customers asked questions to the Board of Directors.
Eric Flinn, who has since replaced Kevin Allen, Water Superintendent of the utility is working with the customers to address their concerns
The acknowledgment of the the problem is better than when the customers first started complaining about the their plight last year.
Board of Directors during the meeting last year told those in attendance the water was safe to drink and the board members themselves were not having any issues.
What is happening at this time?
A 4 percent water rate increase to help pay for a proposed water filtration plant to be constructed on Dixie Highway
Total cost of the filtration plant between $ 7 million - $10 million with no exact start date on construction
Members told that clear water for their use is still 5-10 years away
Declined to hook-up to other water utilities such as City of Bedford or Mitchell
The average residential customer using 2,000 gallons of water pays about $42 a month this will soon increase.
Because the utility is not under the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission the customers are limited on what can be done on additional rate hikes.
Water quality issues can be sent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management with proper documentation, pictures and date/times. Keep all correspondence from the agency.
At this time the county, state or federal government has not taken a proactive role in addressing the water quality issue.
INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS NEWS STORY IN 2023
The utility receives their water supply from several wells located along the White River but does not receive any water from the White River itself, according to board members.
" I have been at my residence for 14 years. I have had dirty water for the whole time I lived at my residence. It gets worse every year. My folks have lived next door since the early 90's And they too have dealt with it since then. I wished I kept receipts from what I have replaced in the brand-new home since 2003, this has cost me thousands of dollars," said Trent King.
Photo: South Lawrence Water customers have spent several hundred dollars on filters to try remove the dark and brown water
Elizabeth Dixon who resides on Dixie Highway asked the board several questions on why the water quality continues to get worse, and what kind of solutions the water company plans to address the issue.
One man whose wife had a recent kidney transplant told the board that the doctors told him not to allow his wife to drink the water.
Mickey Keith showed the board members the inside of his washing machine with the dirty water that he has been dealing with recently.
Many of those who attended the meeting Thursday night say they cannot drink the water.
Kevin Allen told the group that attended the meeting that the water is safe to drink. That there is a large amount of iron and manganese in the water. All the levels are in permissible limits.
But these two things are what is leaving their water discolored.
The utility tries flushing the water hydrants to immediately address some of the discoloration of the water.
" How can this water be safe?" Dixon and other attendees asked.
Lawrence County Zephyr obtained a copy of the letter sent to the South Lawrence Water Corporation from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management dated January 31, 2023.
Here is copy of the letter:
IDEM
INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
We Protect Hoosiers and O u environment.
100 N. Senate Avenue• Indianapolis, IN46204
(800) 451-6027 • (317) 232-8603 • www.idem.IN.gov
Eric J. Holcomb
Brian C. Rockensuess governor Commissioner
January 31, 2023
RE: South Lawrence Utilities PWSID#: 5247007
Complaints Received January 2023
Mr. Kevin J. Allen
South Lawrence Utilities 244 Carpenter Drive Mitchell, IN 47446
Dear Mr. Allen:
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has received numerous calls and emails regarding the water quality at South Lawrence Utilities over the past few days and a records review showed that several complaints have been m a d e in the last few years.
The complaints mostly cover the discoloration of the water, sediment in the distribution system and concerns with the water quality and financial impact it has on complainants' household appliances and laundry. We understand that your utility has also received numerous calls, and emails over the years and have been responsive with flushing to address customers' complaints. However, water quality issues and complaints have continued.
Indiana Code (IC) 13-18-16-6 states in relevant part that all public water systems
shall be continuously operated and maintained so that water is safe in quality, clean and adequate in quantity, and chemically satisfactory for ordinary domestic consumption. Due to the nature of the complaints and documentation reviewed of the distribution system water quality, IDEM believes that there are issues which do not meet the statutory requirements and need to be addressed.
On January 27, 2023, representatives of the Drinking Water Branch at IDEM reached out to your utility to address the recent complaints. While you are trying to address the immediate issues, more is needed to be done regarding the long-term solution.
We understand your utility has five (5) wells on record, where only three (3) are
iron and manganese sequestration by phosphate and gaseous chlorination prior to
entering the distribution system. Your system is also comprised of six (6) storage tanks
ranging in size from 90,000 to 500,000 gallons in capacity with total storage capacity of
1.64 MG, an interconnection for emergencies with Mitchell Water Department
(5247003) and a booster station at Bryantsville Road rated at 1300 p m . There are 2,525 service connection for a total population of 6,313.
South Lawrence Utilities is to evaluate its sources, treatment, and distribution system to implement a long-term solution to the water quality issues which have long been causing undesirable water quality. A Compliance Plan (CP) outlining your immediate and long-term strategy is to be submitted to this office.
It is the expectation of this office that the findings of the evaluation be taken seriously, and South Lawrence Utility quickly begin to make the necessary physical and procedural adjustments, changes, planning and construction to improve the water quality for its customers.
South Lawrence Utilities is to respond in writing, in detail, within eighteen (18) days of this letter with their plan and timeline of action to begin addressing the water quality issues. Should you have any question, please contact our Field Inspection Section Chief, LucioM. Ternieden, at 317/234-7461 or at LTernied@idem.in.gov.
Sincerely
Matthew Prater, Chief Drinking Water Branch
Office of Water Quality-IDEM
The solution to the problem though, is years away according to Kevin Allen. The South Lawrence Water Corporation just recently purchased property on Dixie Highway to construct a Water Filtration Plant
The cost of the plant is estimated at $10 Million the bid of that project was over a year old. South Lawrence Water Corporation is currently seeking grants or loans to be able to construct the plant.
Derrick Wiggins, Midwestern Engineers, Loogootee, IN was on hand Thursday to start going over some of the designs for the plant. The company must decide the type of plant to construct, which are four types of designs in water filtration.
The South Lawrence Water board considered purchasing water from the City of Bedford, or other water companies in the area. The cost estimates of doing such an arrangement were not divulged during the meeting.
" If the water was not safe to drink, they would be shutting us down, and as you can see, we are still operating," said Allen.
Elizabeth Dixon asked them to find ways of communicating to the customers and alerting them on days they are flushing hydrants so they can expect dirty water. Dixon was unaware of the $10 Million water filtration plant project until after attending the meeting.
" We do not have anyone attend our meetings and stay informed on what is going on. We had an annual meeting last month and no one attended," said Frank Dumond South Lawrence Water Board member.
The utility is only staffed by 3 employees and makes it difficult in responding to the needs of the 2,400 customers. The main complaints received by the utility is discolored water, water pressure issues, and hard water.
The board says they are trying to address the issue, but it is going to take a long time to resolve maybe several years.
For breaking news and information go to lczephyyr.org or like/follow the Lawrence County Zephyr Facebook page.
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