WATER SYSTEM DUE UPDATE

MARBLE HILL -- Water in Marble Hill soon will be more sparkling and pleasant for the palate.

Administrative assistant David Jackson said city crews hope to begin work on a new pre-treatment water system in the spring. He said residents' complaints about odors and discolorations will soon be a thing of the past.

The project will become a reality thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The city has allocated $25,000 cash and another $25,000 to $50,000 worth of labor to complete the water system's renovation.

"This is a six-month project," Jackson said, "and it's going to eliminate a lot of problems people have had with the water and improve its general appearance."

Jackson said the city currently treats the water supply after it has been stored in tanks. Just before the water supply is released to residents, the standard chemicals are added to the water to comply with the Missouri Department of Natural Resource guidelines.

"Sometimes people will smell the water because of chlorine bursts," he said. "It's safe, but the chemicals sometimes don't mix well."

Water will have an odor because of the chemical concentration. It also might be discolored because of a slight chemical imbalance.

Jackson said by pre-treating the water supply before storage in the tower, the chemicals will have time to mix properly. When the treatment chemicals are permitted to mix, the water becomes clearer and odorless. The city also will be able to use better-quality chemicals in the pre-treatment process, he said.

"It will taste much better," Jackson said.

He said the city also will be able to add fluoride to the water after the pre-treatment system is installed. Fluoride can't be added because of the current post-treatment water system that is in use.

The pre-treatment water system is expected to be operational by late summer.