Water treatment ribbon cutting Wednesday

Details of one of the city's new water filtration systems. (Tonka Water Filtration Systems) [Click to enlarge]

It has finally happened. After an 18-year search for a solution, McCook has a water treatment plant up and running.

The public will see proof Wednesday when Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman joins McCook city officials for ribbon cutting ceremonies. The event will take place at the $12.27 million plant site, located 1.3 miles south of Barnett Park and a half-mile west on County Road 385.

Gov. Heineman is scheduled to cut the ribbon at 1:45 p.m. His appearance will take place during a four and a half hour open house. Starting at 1 p.m. and lasting until 5:30, visitors will have an opportunity to tour the new, multi-faceted water treatment operation.

They will discover a technologically sophisticated, state-of-the-art facility which operates on a simple, well understood principle. Jesse Dutcher, the utility director for the City of McCook, explains. "McCook's treatment plant is similar to the water softener which sits in a house and softens the water. The process is called ionic exchange. The water is run through salt and special, fine ground media which trap contaminants."

The ionic exchange process takes place in huge vessels, which look somewhat like humongous nitrogen fertilizer tanks placed on end. The main building at the treatment plant contains 12 of these vessels, each capable of treating 293 gallons of water a minute.

All together, the new treatment plant is capable of turning out 6.8 million gallons of water a day, but current use has been below that. "During the recent hot spell, we have been averaging 3.8 million gallons a day, Dutcher said. "Our peak day to date was 5.1 million gallons."

Not all the water which flows from McCook's nine wells is treated. That's because it doesn't need to be for McCook to be below federal contaminant standards. "We only treat 40 percent of the water," Dutcher said. "The other 60 percent is bypassed and blended with the treated water."

The plant went on line Feb. 7, 2006, which was more than 50 days ahead of the March 31, 2006 deadline. From the start it has been working as intended, "There have been no water quality issues," the utility director reported. McCook's water now meets all Safe Drinking Water Standards."

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Dutcher gave credit to the designers and engineers, "They did an exceptional job and much of the credit goes to Greg Wolford of W Design Associates. He had a big hand in keeping everyone of track."

McCook's water treatment plant is unique in the Midwest because it is capable of treating three different kinds of contaminants: arsenic, uranium and nitrates.

As evidence the treatment process is working, Dutcher points to before and after contaminant numbers. Nitrates, which were averaging 12 milligrams per liter (12 mg/L) before, are now averaging 5 mg/L, far below the 10 mg/L limit. Arsenic, also with a limit of 10 mg/L, was at 11 before and is now down to an average of 8.

Uranium, with a limit of 30 mg/L, has dropped from 35 mg/L before treatment to 22 after.

The one complaint that the water staff hears is about the smell and taste of the water. "That's because of the chlorination process," Dutcher said. The chlorine, which is a disinfectant, is required. To some, the odor and taste is noticeable; to others it is not. "Part of the taste and smell may be the result of deposits in the pipes. As time passes, that may ease," he said.

On the plus side, the treatment process has made a difference in the hardness of McCook's water. "After treatment, the water is 25 percent softer," Dutcher said. "That is reducing the amount of softening salt needed in the home."

It's no wonder. Salt is the largest ongoing expense at the plant. Only solar salt works, and the nearest available source is Ogden, Utah. "We have 500 tons of salt storage capacity, and that amount is consumed every 30 days," Dutcher said.