Drinking Water

The city of Danville violated state drinking water standards earlier this summer when levels of a contaminant found in the city’s water system were slightly above standard. However, city officials say the discovery of the higher than acceptable levels of haloacetic acid is not an emergency, and they note that the water department has taken steps to lower the levels of the contaminant to meet the state standards. The city has not been fined or otherwise penalized for the violation.

Ann Hawkins: There was a lot of wasted space in the sports section yesterday. If your readers did not recognize Mark's article to be reindeer poop (t'is the season) wrapped up in a pretty package, then someone needs to check the drinking water. Larry: It may have been poop, but it was my poop. I had a story in Tuesday's paper about Pitino and Smith. Maybe you missed it. But there is a lot of passion on this subject.

The Kentucky River Authority is nearing the end of its goal in the renovations of the three dams running the length of the county and is expecting to wrap up with Dam 8 in Jessamine County by 2014. But once the project is complete, the KRA's funds, nearly $15 million, will literally be all dried up, said Daniel Gilbert of Stantec Consulting Services. Gilbert is the project's resident engineer who has worked on the three dams. Situated between Garrard and Jessamine counties, Dam 8 is the third and final phase of lock dams to be renovated and paid for by water-withdraw fees to the KRA. Two of the other lock dams focused on were Dam 3 and Dam 9, which were renovated to protect Lexington's drinking water; Dam 8 supplies Nicholasville.

The Stanford Water Treatment Plant was among the 24 water treatment plants recognized for their success in producing drinking water thats consistently meets or exceeds state water quality standards. The Kentucky Division of Water presented awards last month to the water treatment plants during the 50th annual Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators Association Conference in Louisville. Through their voluntary participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's Area-Wide Optimization Program, 154 public and private water treatment plants were asked to reduce turbidity levels below those required by state and federal regulations.

The City of Danville will be conducting routine water service maintenance beginning Sunday at midnight. The water will be off in the following areas for approximately two hours: Wells Landing Road, Gun Range Road, Chenault Bridge Road, Kings Mill Road, Old Bridge Subdivision. These areas will be under a boil water advisory until further notice once service is reestablished. Residents should boil drinking water for short range use at a rapid boil for at least three minutes.

LANCASTER - The Garrard County Board of Education expelled a high school student Thursday night following a 35-minute closed door meeting with the student and the parents. The expulsion will last one semester. According to Superintendent Ray Woolsey, the student put "a substance in a teacher's drinking water. " Woolsey would not say what grade the student is in, nor would he release the student's age. Garrard County Sheriff Ron Wardrip said his office was not informed of the event, which took place toward the beginning of the school year.

LANCASTER - According to information provided by Lancaster Water Works, the system has violated drinking water standards over the past year. A letter provided to customers assured the violations were not emergencies, but the company felt the customers had the right to know the situation. During 2007, Lancaster Water Works failed to test for volatile organic chemicals and nitrates, therefore the company expressed uncertainty about the quality of drinking water in regards to the contaminants.

The city of Wilmore water treatment plant was recognized April 28 along with 30 other treatment plants in Kentucky for producing drinking quality that meets or exceeds quality standards. According to a press release from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Wilmore was one of 155 water treatment plants in Kentucky that participated in the US Environmental Protection Agency's Area-Wide Optimization Program that challenges plants to reduce the cloudiness level of their drinking water.

Lt. Dan Nelson can't help but smile as he describes it. After all, it's not every day you're asked to recall the oddly humorous mental image of an Anheuser-Busch truck pulling up to the Salvation Army to make a delivery. But that's exactly what happened Saturday, and according to Nelson, it was a most welcome drop-off. The truck wasn't bringing booze, though. It was bringing much-needed drinking water. With the area reeling from last week's historic ice storm, and residents hit with the one-two punch of a widespread power outage and a boil-water advisory, the beer giant donated several thousand gallons of canned drinking water to area locations for distribution.

City and county officials once again met in the Emergency Operation Center at approximately 8 p.m. to give status updates on the city's infrastructure. Here's what came from the meeting. Water: City Manager Paul Stansbury said water restoration was going well and the system was getting over the initial surge from residential users. By Friday morning the system is expected to be at full capacity, however, he said this is only if residents abide by the requested water conservation.

June 28, 1987 The bad taste and foul odor many Winchester residents noticed in their drinking water Sunday and early today was expected to be cleared up by late this afternoon and the water back to normal. The taste and odor that some compared to “grass and weeds” and “wet fish” was caused by low chlorine levels, although the water is not harmful, Richard Lewis, WMU general manager said. Nina Tyler, president of the Soccer Boosters Club, presented a check for $1,000 from the Boosters to Rankin Skinner, coach of a local youth soccer team that will visit and compete against teams in Ecuador this August.

Equestrians riding for charity The Kentucky Horse Park will host the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows today, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and May 16-20. Spectators are welcome from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and events include show jumping and hunter derby. Several teens and professional riders will be competing to raise money for the Step by Step Foundation, which provides shelter, drinking water and other necessities to children around the world. The Kentucky Horse Park is located eight miles northeast of Lexington at exit 120 on Interstate 75. For more information, visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

The Kentucky River Authority is nearing the end of its goal in the renovations of the three dams running the length of the county and is expecting to wrap up with Dam 8 in Jessamine County by 2014. But once the project is complete, the KRA's funds, nearly $15 million, will literally be all dried up, said Daniel Gilbert of Stantec Consulting Services. Gilbert is the project's resident engineer who has worked on the three dams. Situated between Garrard and Jessamine counties, Dam 8 is the third and final phase of lock dams to be renovated and paid for by water-withdraw fees to the KRA. Two of the other lock dams focused on were Dam 3 and Dam 9, which were renovated to protect Lexington's drinking water; Dam 8 supplies Nicholasville.

A boil-water advisory has been issued by the Harrodsburg Water Department, effective from 6 p.m. Wednesday until further notice, according to Walter Bottoms, water treatment plant superintendent. A notice was issued to all city of Harrodsburg water customers, the North Mercer Water District, and Lake Village Water Association customers along the U.S. 68 corridor from Shaker Village to the river only. The clear well at the water treatment plant will undergo a second modification in which the last interconnect from the old clear well to the new is installed.

HARRODSBURG - A boil-water advisory has been issued by the Harrodsburg Water Department, effective from 3 p.m. Tuesday until further notice, according to Walter Bottoms, water treatment plant superintendent. A notice was issued to all Harrodsburg water customers, the North Mercer Water District, and Lake Village customers east of Shaker Village. No other areas are expected to be impacted. Customers are advised to bring all water for human consumption to a rolling boil for at least three minutes before use. The announcement created a flurry of activity for the Mercer County Health Department, tasked with getting the word out to more than 100 food-service establishments countywide.

HARRODSBURG - A boil water advisory to all City of Harrodsburg water customers and North Mercer Water District will be in effect from 9 a.m. Friday until further notice. Water customers are advised by the water department to boil all water to be used for human consumption. On Friday, the transmission main at the water plant will be modified to install a bypass for expansion currently underway. The situation poses a health concern for water users due to possibility of contamination of the drinking water in the area.

Republicans in Congress are aggressively attacking the Clean Water Act — a landmark 1970 law created the year after Ohio’s horrifically polluted Cuyahoga River spontaneously burst into flame. Ironically, these attacks — coupled with assaults on other federal laws protecting water resources — are being championed by freshman Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, a hog farmer-turned-congressman who heads a key water subcommittee. In March, Gibbs and the GOP-led House fast-tracked legislation allowing pesticide spraying over waterways without Clean Water Act permits — despite strong evidence of growing pesticide concentrations in U.S. waters.

Winchester Municipal Utilities fell short on a water clarity test late last year, but the deficiency has not caused an emergency over health risks, according to the utility. WMU General Manger Mike Flynn reported Thursday that turpidity levels in the drinking water exceeded regulatory limits in one sample out of 175 during a test in November. High turpidity is not dangerous, but its indicates the effectiveness of water filtering. As a result, WMU is required to notify customers of an increased chance of contamination.

I think, I believe and I know that it is outrageous for homeowners in Junction City to have to pay $60 for drinking water, and then pay $80 for pouring it back down the sewer every two months. If this isn’t highway robbery, I will eat my hat! Homeowners in Danville think they have it rough in paying for utilities. They need to move to Junction City or Perryville for a while and see how they like these high water and sewer bills. I saw in the paper today that water rates may go up to an extra $4 per month in Danville.