MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - With the below average temperatures and an above average amount of precipitation, the East Lansing Meridian Water and Sewer Authority have been seeing a decrease in the amount of water being used.

Manager Clyde Dugan says the percentage of water usage is about equal to what they were seeing last winter.

"Generally, what we see in the summer time, demands will go up really substantially over the water use in the winter time," he said. "And this year, we haven't seen any substantial increase at all."

Over the years, the authority have conducted evaluations to see just how safe their groundwater really is from contamination.

"If contaminants are released in the soil, whether by road beds, or in yards or fields, eventually they work their way into the groundwater, and it can impact the water supply for all of us," Dugan said.

The East Lansing Meridian Water and Sewer Authority draws all of its water from the ground, so it's important to keep it clean. For the safety of the community, it's important to keep in mind what you can and cannot flush down the toilet.

"Don't flush pharmaceuticals down the toilet because it eventually could get through to the waste water treatment plant and into the river," he said.

With any products or chemicals that you purchase from local stores, it's a good idea to check online to see if they're certified and approved to be safe.

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding water quality or water usage, please call 517-337-7535 ext. 1.