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June 17, 2008

Chatsworth drinking water ‘safe,’ report says

By Mark Millican

CHATSWORTH — Just two months ago Chatsworth Water Works director Tom Martin was fighting rumors that the city’s drinking water was tainted with fecal coliform after a study found waterways in the Conasauga River watershed were impaired with the bacteria.

Martin responded that the Water Works treats the water daily to kill bacteria before piping it into homes.

And it hasn’t been that long ago that residents complained of their tap water tasting funny. Martin has been on that one for four years now, beating back the algae that was causing the problem.

The most recent annual report from the Water Works states that Chatsworth’s water is “safe” and “gets an excellent report when compared to health standards.” It covers 2007 and was released earlier this month.

Martin was asked Tuesday about a section of the report on the Carters Lake water intake, which the report says has a “medium overall susceptibility rating.” The city pulls 1.6 million gallons a day from the reservoir.

“Primarily, that’s (caused by) the rivers coming through Ellijay,” Martin replied. “Algae is a problem coming from fertilizer, and our best educated concern is that the high levels of nitrates comes from fertilizer and chicken houses. It’s not from the (Pilgrim’s Pride) plant, but all the chicken houses.”

In the water analysis table of the report one of the probable sources listed for nitrates and nitrites is runoff from fertilizer use.

“The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk,” the report says.

The algae hasn’t been a problem thus far this year, and Martin and his staff have a theory.

“Our conclusion is that the water was so low last year, and rose so fast (with winter and spring rains), that the algae didn’t get a chance to bloom,” he said. The Water Works has treated the Carters Lake supply with a copper sulfate solution for four years now, and hasn’t seen a “flare up” of the algae this spring.

In the “accomplishments” section of the report, it is noted that almost 40,000 feet of new water lines have been laid in the county (33,000 in northwest Murray), and 24,000 feet of wastewater lines have been refurbished inside city limits.

A copy of the report can be picked up at the commission office at 620 S. Second Ave.

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