By Vanessa Overholser - Staff Writer
For some communities, drinking from the tap is unsafe. The Morehead Utility Plant Board assures that city water is safer than filtered tap water or bottled water.
“I’d put our water treatment facility against any others in the state,” said Mike Nickell Morehead Utility Plant Board manager. “We have water treatment technology that is that is state of the art.”
In order to maintain safe drinking water, the MUPB must adhere to strict environmental, state and federal regulations, Nickell said.
“Our water supply is from the Licking River,” Nickell said. “The Licking River is a surface water source. The intake is located in Rowan County just below the Cave Run Dam. We are blessed to have a good source of water. The MUPB is committed to ensuring the highest quality of drinking water. Our water quality meets or exceeds all local, state, and federal regulations.”
Activities and land uses upstream of the MUPB’s source of water can pose potential risks to drinking water. Certain circumstances could take place during the water’s travel downstream such as dead carcasses in the water and other contaminants such as trash and chemicals that are natural or man-made deposited in the water, he said.
The water is treated with Poly Aluminum Chloride, Chlorine, and a Polymer which serves as a coagulant and separates any contaminating substances in the water as it’s being filtered. Fluoride is added to the water as required by the American Dental Association. Soda ash is used to adjust the PH levels in the water to keep the water pipes from rusting. After the water is taken from the river and filtered, it is distributed to MUPB customers, he said.
When asked about the safety of the city water Nickell said people would not have to worry about it.
“It is very safe,” he said. “We take water samples daily to monitor the safety of our drinking water. We do let the public know if there is something wrong with the water so that they can take proper precautions.”
Nickell said he would not personally recommend using a filtration device on the tap water before drinking it.
“The water is already treated,” he said. “If you filter it with a filtration system on you faucet and the filter is not changed as recommended, bacteria can build up in it and cause you to get sick.”
The MUPB is located 135 S. Wilson Avenue in Morehead and the water treatment center is located at 450 Filtration Road.
For more information about water quality and water treatment, contact the utility company at 784-5538.
