ADRIAN — A long-term fix for recurring taste and odor problems in the city’s water supply could be years away, according to commissioner discussion during a meeting Aug. 17.
The Adrian City Commission is weighing water treatment upgrades costing between $6.5 million and more than $25 million, numbers updated from ballpark estimates given in July.
Acting City Administrator Will Sadler said an ozone treatment system is now estimated to cost between $6.5 million and $8 million. The system would be similar to those used in Monroe and Ann Arbor. Sadler previously said an ozone system, potentially paired with peroxide, could remove about 99% of contaminants.
“It’s very doable for us,” Sadler said.
A more advanced reverse osmosis system would cost more than $25 million.
Sadler said residents continue to experience significant taste and odor issues during the spring and fall, when algae-related compounds enter the water supply from Adrian Lake, which stretches roughly 65 acres off Ballenberger Road.
Commissioners discussed potential funding sources, including a state legislative appropriation and a low-interest state loan. They also considered forming an ad hoc committee to help with research, grant applications and recommendations.
Mayor Angela Heath said any committee should focus on evaluating available options, rather than introducing more alternatives.
Adrian is also studying the possibility of adding a fifth groundwater well, but according to Sadler, the system would still rely partly on Adrian Lake. The timing, too, remains a harsh reality. Even if a low-interest loan were secured, he said, construction on upgrades likely wouldn’t begin until at least 2028.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Long-term fix could be years away for water taste, odor in Adrian
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram | USA TODAY Network
