Lansing City Council discusses radium in City water; Don Peters resigns Council position
Water is safe to drink, but radium levels exceed those allowable by the EPA; One of two wells taken out of operation, remediation option costs estimated to be around $800,000
by B.J. Tomlinson
The Lansing City Council met Tuesday, January 3 instead of its usual Monday meeting night because of observation of the New Year holiday.
After approving the Consent Agenda, the Council discussed the recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) letter sent to residents of Lansing concerning the amount of radium in the City's water supply. Mayor Mike Brennan said that the EPA requires letters be sent to residents when radium reaches a certain level even though City water is safe to drink. "Drinking six gallons of water a day for a year might be the equivalent of a couple of chest x-rays," Mayor Brennan said in explaining the radium levels being reported from one City well.
A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report found online clearly states that the health effects of radium in humans is not known, but are assumed to become greater as levels go up over long periods of time. Radium is a naturally occurring element in aquifers hundreds of feet underground.
It was explained that the higher levels in Lansing's water supply are not due to equipment or chemicals or the City's treatment facility. In a December 1, 2016 notice, the EPA stated that the City's well by the swimming pool has exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 5 PCi/L, a "Non-Acute MCL Violation".
People Service Representative Heath Draeger said City wells are being monitored quarterly, with the pool well now averaging a level 6.5 PCi/L for 2016; a voluntary shutdown is allowed at this point. Draeger said testing will continue in January and April, and if levels remain high, remedial action will have to be taken.
Mayor Brennan said radium in water is common in this area and said several other Iowa towns have experienced similar issues, specifically Dyersville, Edgewood, Farley and Marion, and those Cities have been contacted for information and advice. Shutting down the well is one way to help solve the problem but is considered risky if the one remaining well (located along Main Street) becomes unusable as well. Another way to lower the radium levels is to blend water from two different wells, but this solution will not work in this case because Lansing's wells access the same aquifer.
The third - and most expensive - solution is to create a treatment option for the water as it comes out. A backwashing treatment facility could be built at an estimated cost of $800,000 per well. Draeger said doing nothing is the riskiest option of all and that "water with radium is better than no water at all."
After further discussion of the matter, the Council agreed to hire a water remediation company to conduct a study to help select the best option for the City. In the meantime, the pool well has been shut down and will remain inactive until a solution is found; in an emergency it can be used as a standby well. Requests for proposals for the study are to be submitted at the next Council meeting.
In an interview with KWWL television news, Mayor Brennan said that the nearly million dollar price tag to remedy the existing well could result in an increase of $8 per month on water bills for Lansing residents. He also advised that grant and other funding sources will be sought to help alleviate as much of that cost burden as possible should that remedial plan of action be taken.
In other business, Allamakee County Economic Development Director Val Reinke addressed the Council to encourage the City's support for a countywide housing study. Reinke said the study, which would cost approximately $19,000 overall, would create the data necessary to obtain grants, a tool for economic development, indicate needs for housing developers and a tool for planning and zoning. She asked the Council for a donation of $.25 per resident as Lansing's contribution ($240). The Council approved the request.
Councilman Don Peters submitted a resignation letter to the Council, effective immediately; no reason for the resignation was given. The Council reluctantly approved the resignation and then voted to appoint someone to take over Peters' term until the next election in November of 2017. The appointment will take place at the regular Council meeting February 1.
Mike and Amy Stetter, chairs for the 2017 Great River Rumble, addressed the Council regarding a proposed landing and overnight stay for the event in Lansing August 3 of this year. The Great River Rumble is an annual river trip for approximately 175 participants who will paddle from Rushford, MN to Prairie du Chien, WI over a weeklong period. Stetter said they would need a grassy camping site and volunteers to furnish food for breakfast and lunches to go.
Knoll Street residents Frank Cizek and Russell Quackenbush addressed the Council regarding letters they received from the City concerning snow removal. The letters stated that residents were not allowed to blow snow back out onto the street from their properties. Mayor Brennan advised Cizek and Quackenbush not to blow snow out onto the street.
In other meeting agenda items, the Council approved Resolution #877, a Proclamation Commemorating the City of Lansing School Choice Week. School Choice Week, January 22-28, is celebrated across the country to raise awareness of the need for effective educational options and to recognize the excellent education options available to families in Lansing. Mayor Brennan calls this observance to the attention of all citizens of Lansing. Schools and community organizations in almost every city and county across America are participating.
