BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) – The City of Battle Creek is planning to test 50 sites Friday after telling families not to give tap water to infants because elevated levels of manganese were found in the city’s water system.
The site list, which was provided to the city by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, includes homes and businesses in Battle Creek and Springfield, as well as the neighboring townships of Bedford, Emmett, Leroy and Pennfield, per a release from city officials. The water source wells at Battle Creek’s Verona Pumping Station will also be tested.
>>PDF: Map of manganese sample site locations
Battle Creek city employees are in the process of contacting residents and business owners at those locations to set up times to retrieve water samples from faucets. If some of the locations on the list are inaccessible, the City will attempt to gather samples from neighbors, the release said.
The water samples will then be delivered by city employees to a lab in Holland for expedited testing.
Thursday, Battle Creek officials announced the water-drinking advisory for babies up to 12 months old after tests of one hydrant in Battle Creek and one in Springfield yielded some manganese.
The federal health advisory limit for babies is less than .3 parts per million of manganese for short-term exposure of less than 10 days. The advisory was put in place because .68 ppm was found in the Springfield test and .98 ppm was found in the Battle Creek test.
The limit for people over the age of 1 is 1 ppm, so the water is safe for everyone else to consume. Water should not be boiled because it increases the manganese content.
Battle Creek is giving out free water to families with babies under the age of 1 at a rate of one case per day. Locations include:
- Battle Creek City Hall at 10 N. Division St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Battle Creek Department of Public Works at 150 S. Kendall St. from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Battle Creek Police Department at 20 N. Division St. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. all week.
- City of Springfield City Hall at 36 Court St. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and all next week.
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. all week at Battle Creek fire stations 1-6:
- Fire Station 1 at 195 E. Michigan Ave.
- Fire Station 2 at 145 N. Washington Ave.
- Fire Station 3 at 222 Cliff St.
- Fire Station 4 at 8 S. 20th St.
- Fire Station 5 at 1170 W. Michigan Ave.
- Fire Station 6 at 2401 Capital Ave. SW.
Battle Creek officials said in Friday’s release that water is also available at the following locations:
- For Springfield families: Springfield City Hall; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
- Emmett Township: Emmett Township Department of Public Safety; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Pennfield Township: Pennfield Township Fire Department (no times provided)
The DEQ says manganese can turn water black and leave a bitter taste in the mouth, so officials would have expected to already have gotten complaints if the problem was widespread. If residents notice darker water or a bitter taste, they should notify the city.
Anyone with questions can call the county health department at 269.969.6852 or MDHHS at 1.800.648.6942 during regular business hours. The city also has a hotline set up at 269.966.3111 that will be staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
