News: Neillsville, WI (Black Water problem - 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Seelow

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (02 November 1983)

NEILLSVILLE -- For more than a week now the Neillsville Water Department has been treating the "black water" which has plagued the city for several months.

It is explained that to eliminate the black water, manganese, which becomes a solid form in the system following treatment of the water, must be kept in solution. To do this, a chemical is being added to the water which will sequester the manganese, keeping it in solution at all times.

Fritz Seelow, superintendent of utilities, points out that the manganese is a gray-white brittle metallic element. It is introduced into the system as water is pumped out of manganese-bearing aquafers that are located at the site of the well fields.

He stressed that the Manganese in the water is harmless and causes no health hazard. However, when it becomes a solid form, the tiny black particles lay in the bottom of the water mains and are brought into homes and businesses when there is a great demand for water, such as when the black specks appear in the water. The specks can appear on just-washed clothing, and on ice coming from automatic ice makers. The specks also can discolor plumbing fixtures.

The water department, working with Perry-Carrington Engineering, Marshfield, and the Department of Natural Resources, has come to the conclusion that this chemical addition is the method to proceed with.

The chemical being added is called Aqua-Mag and is made specifically for these types of problems. It was explained that it is a chemical that is 100 percent non-toxic and has been tested and approved by the United States department of Agriculture.

On October 19, the city began adding the chemical to the city water at a rate of two gallons per one million gallons of water. This is to eliminate any additional precipitated manganese to the system. However, this does not completely solve the problem. The particles already formed are laying in the water mains, from the wells to the user.

This existing manganese must be expelled from the system and it is believed this can be done by systematic flushing of all fire hydrants. This will, of course, cause an inconvenience because as the water is stirred up by flushing and expelled from the system, there will be a substantial increase in black water until it is out of the system.

The flushing will begin nearest the wells, continue on into the city and throughout the system, ending at the network terminals. The water department will keep residents informed of when and where they are flushing.

In order to help minimize the inconvenience, the department asks that, if possible, the user refrain from drawing water while they are flushing in their area. This will hopefully allow the bulk of the black water to pass by residences.

In the event that users have clothing which become discolored in washing, it is suggested that the clothing be kept wet and when the water clears, rewashed, adding about one-half cup of baking soda.