All aldermen were present for the March 25 city council meeting, but the City Attorney Tim Weaver was not. First order of business was Public Works Director Dwayne Allen providing an update on the lead and copper reports.
Allen explained that Eureka Springs gets its water from the Carroll-Boone Water District on Beaver Lake that also provides water to Berryville, Green Forest and Harrison. He said the last water tests showed Eureka Springs close to the limit while Harrison has exceeded limits of the concentration of lead allowed in public drinking water.
Carroll-Boone is starting a treatment of the water to raise the pH to make the water less corrosive, he said, adding, “The State has approved this and it should help us, too.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires all public water systems to deliver annual water quality reports called a consumer confidence report (CCR). Allen said Eureka Springs has received the 2018 CCR and it will be available on the city website in the near future; currently the two-page report is available at healthy.arkansas.gov.
The report shows that Eureka Springs had two sites over the Action Level for Lead of 0.015 parts per million (ppm), and resulted in the 90th percentile with 0.014 ppm. The report noted the major sources of contaminated drinking water are from corrosion from household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits.
Allen said the city has removed some lead service pipes – “We assume there probably is some still out there.” Conversations moved to fluoridation and alderman Melissa Greene stated, “I am glad Eureka Springs was in opposition to the fluoride.” She asked what action would be taken and Allen responded, “We are putting a corrosion-control plan in place now.”
He said it may include injecting ortho-phosphates within the city’s system, “Hopefully we are going to try everything to avoid that.” Council discussed privately-owned plumbing in residences and commercial properties and stated there are no city or state assistance programs created to help homeowners update water systems.
Alderman Terry McClung reminded council of water-line insurance through the city, designed to help relieve the burden of plumbing costs in event of breakage. Discussion of using that insurance for lead pipe removal was inconclusive.