Water Source
BWL drinking water comes from 125 groundwater wells that are approximately 400 feet deep. The source of this plentiful supply is an underground aquifer called the Saginaw Formation, which underlies much of the mid-Michigan region. Water from BWL wells is transported through large transmission mains to one of two water conditioning plants.
The plants soften the water by removing about 80% of the hardness. The softened water is then chlorinated, fluoridated, treated with corrosion control, filtered and stored in reservoirs for distribution to customers. Lansing is one of the largest communities in the country to rely exclusively on groundwater to meet its drinking water requirements.
Protecting Your Water Supply
The BWL actively supports regional wellhead protection activities. The United States Geological Survey has developed a regional aquifer computer model of the mid-Michigan area that provides important information about the groundwater supplies. Major support for the project was provided through a state administered wellhead protection grant to the BWL.
Lansing’s drinking water source is largely protected from contamination or direct contact with surface waters by layers of clay and shale. There are areas at the surface, however, that directly contribute to the aquifer without the protection of clay and shale layers.
During 2003, EGLE conducted an assessment of the vulnerability of the aquifer to impacts from human activities. Because there are several known and potential sources of contamination in and near the BWL’s wellhead protection areas, the aquifer in this region has been assessed as “highly susceptible” to contamination. If you desire more information on this local Source Water Assessment, contact Angie Goodman at 517-702-7059 or angie.goodman@lbwl.com.
Actions taken on the surface can impact the groundwater we drink
Help protect this essential resource!
- Conserve: saving water reduces energy costs and helps keep more water in our lakes, rivers and groundwater supply.
- Never Flush: many items containing toxins are non-biodegradable. They clog pipes, destroy protective bacteria and wreak havoc at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. For a complete list, visit www.epa.gov/septic.
- Medications are NOT safe to flush. They break down in the water and wastewater treatment plants. Treatment plants are not equipped to remove them and they end up back in our water supply. Check www.michigan.gov/deqdrugdisposal to find a place to dispose of them properly.
- Waste Disposal: properly dispose of waste such as gasolines, oils, pesticides, paints, and antifreeze. Toxic substances poured/spilled on the ground or down a drain can contaminate the water you drink.
Water Infrastructure
There’s the age-old question: If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Well, we can’t answer that question for you, but it does lead us to a question we can answer. If you can’t see the water pipes underground, does that mean they don’t have issues?
When you wake up in the morning, go into the bathroom, turn on the faucet to brush your teeth or turn on the shower to bathe, you expect clean, fresh and safe water. As a public utility, our goal is to make sure your expectation is met. But as the years pass and our water infrastructure ages, this goal becomes more challenging. It’s easy to believe that because we can’t see the water pipes and because the water is clean, fresh and safe to drink, the water pipes must be fine. Well, unlike the tree question, we can answer the question of whether the water pipes have issues. The answer is yes, and before these issues impact the safety and reliability of our water supply, they need to be addressed.
The water infrastructure in the United States is aging, and the same is true of our water infrastructure here in Lansing. BWL has over 800 miles of water mains. Some of these mains are nearing the end of their useful life. The BWL is committed to addressing the issue of aging infrastructure and is already making plans for the eventual rehabilitation or replacement of these mains as part of our asset management strategy.
Why invest? Not replacing mains can result in increased main breaks, unaccounted for water loss, water quality concerns and fire prevention flow concerns.
We may not always appreciate the value of water in our everyday lives, but imagine a day without water. We need water to shower, make coffee, fight fires, flush toilets, wash laundry, wash dishes and so much more. We need water to grow produce, generate electricity, and make life-saving medicines. A core message from the Value of Water Campaign is “Water is essential…From agriculture to manufacturing, most sectors of our economy rely on water. Without water, our economy would grind to a halt. While nature provides water, it takes pipes, pumps, equipment and people working 24/7 to deliver clean water to homes and businesses.”
We must invest in our water infrastructure, and the needs are large. The typical customer in our service territory on average spends around $1 per day per household, making it one of the best values for an essential service. The BWL continues to evaluate options for reinvestment in infrastructure to minimize the impact on customer bills. Our goal is to continue to provide clean, fresh, safe and affordable drinking water. Thank you for your support in our ongoing efforts.