EAST LANSING - EAST LANSING- On a hot summer day there is nothing more refreshing than an ice cold glass of water. At the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority the men and women who work there, work diligently with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to make sure that your water tastes amazing and is healthy.

In 2019, the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority pumped 2.1 billion gallons of water, and all of this water was in compliance with state and federal regulations. East Lansing and Meridian Township water comes from the Saginaw Sandstone Aquifer in Central Michigan. In 2003 an assessment was done by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. This assessment showed that the Saginaw Sandstone Aquifer is at a high risk for contamination because of its location, well construction, water chemistry and sources of contamination. To keep communities safe, the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority test the water for 140 contaminants. These contaminants include viruses, bacteria, salts, metals, pesticides, and radioactive materials.

Once the water is clean, the plant makes sure that the water tastes great. To improve the taste of the water the plant sifts the water through a sand filter to remove cloudiness. After that the plant adds lime to remove hardness, ferric chloride to treat fine particles, and chloramine to ensure that the water remains fresh. The plant also adds fluoride to protect teeth from decay.

In the water business safety is important. During this coronavirus pandemic, the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority have taken every safety precaution to ensure safety for it’s staff and your drinking water.

"We have reduced staffing, have people work from home, reduced visitation from the public, and contractors. We have moved all the meetings of the board of trustees virtual, and we have partnered with the Ingham Emergency Alert for screening of employees and we have disinfection procedures. Water distribution and treatment has not been impacted," said Clyde Dugan, Manger of the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority.

To protect our water supply and to help the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority provide clean and safe water here are some things you can do:

-Properly recycle and throw away waste like oil and prescription pills.
-Treat land, personal lawns, and flower beds with respect. Only do treatments that are essential and do not do them often.
-Report all spills so that they can be cleaned and not get into the water
-Identify abandoned wells so that they can be sealed and removed
-Support proper urban planning and development controls so that groundwater can be protected and last.

For more information about your water you can call Clyde Dugan at 517.337.7535. As a resident of East Lansing or Meridian Township you can also request a consumer confidence report. This report is a report that the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority has to provide to you, to show you the quality of their water. If you are a person with a compromised immune system and have concerns about if your water supply is safe for you, you can call the EPA’s safe drinking water hotline at 800.426.4791