City of Marshall

This report covers the municipal water quality for the City of Marshall during 2016. It provides essential information about your water source, its contents, and how it compares to EPA and State standards.

Your water is sourced from four 12-inch wells extending 100 feet into the Marshall Sandstone Aquifer, located in the Southeast section of the city. The water undergoes treatment at an iron removal plant where pressure filters containing layers of anthracite, manganese-treated green sand, and gravel remove iron and manganese. During processing, potassium permanganate is added as an oxidizing agent, chlorine for disinfection, fluoride for dental health, and phosphate to control corrosion in the distribution system.

Groundwater protection is a priority for our community. The City of Marshall has an active Wellhead Protection Program (WHPP) approved by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in 2001. The program is fully implemented and managed by a team representing each jurisdiction within the Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA), led by the City's Environmental Program Planner.

According to hydrogeologic assessments, Marshall's four production wells draw from an "unconfined" aquifer, which is classified as geologically "sensitive." Despite this vulnerability, our wells maintain "high" susceptibility protection because:

• No Maximum Contaminant Level violations have occurred
• Well construction meets standards
• No potential contaminant sources exist within isolation areas
• Our active WHPP manages potential contamination sources
• Known contamination sources are being remediated

The City of Marshall routinely monitors for contaminants according to Federal and State regulations. All municipal water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or visit www.epa.gov/safewater/.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune disorders, some elderly, and infants may face increased infection risks. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers about drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to reduce infection risk from Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

Municipal water sources (tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances from animal or human activities. Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) occurring naturally or from urban runoff, industrial discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture and residential uses
• Radioactive substances that may occur naturally
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems

For information about lead in drinking water: If present, elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While we provide quality drinking water, we cannot control plumbing component materials. Minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If concerned, have your water tested. Information on lead testing and exposure minimization is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

The City is committed to providing high-quality, reliable municipal water. For questions about this report or our water utility, contact Aaron Ambler at 269-781-2210 or email aambler@cityofmarshall.com. City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers (323 W. Michigan Avenue).

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