Why is Stevens Point the City of Wonderful Water?
Photo by Genevieve Adamski.

Why is Stevens Point the City of Wonderful Water?

The City of Stevens Point has been called The City of Wonderful Water since the 1920’s but what factors led to the city receiving such a title?

In 2010, Stevens Point was voted number one out of 22 municipalities across North America as the best tasting tap water by the American Water Works Association’s annual water taste test.

Lindsey Laskowski, sophomore soil science and land management major said, “I’m from Waukesha county, but I get Milwaukee water and I when I’m at home I can taste the chlorine. I like the water in Stevens Point.”

Up until the early 1990’s Stevens Point did not have any water treatment facilities. However, high levels of iron and manganese led the city to install a water plant in order to oxidize the iron and manganese to make sure the water was drinkable for consumers.

Photo by Genevieve Adamski.

Photo by Genevieve Adamski.

Emily Rice, senior water resources major said, “I know there is a small river outside of town that will participate iron. It has that high of iron content that you’ll see the water is brownish and that’s just iron leached out of the soil in the water.”

According to the Stevens Point City Website, the only chemical treatment is the addition of chlorine, fluoride and a blended phosphate. The chlorine kills pathogens in the water and the fluoride is used to prevent tooth decay. Blended phosphate treatment is used to get the manganese and iron out of the water.

Joel Lemke director of public utilities and transportation for the City of Stevens Point said, “All of our water comes out of wells. We have seven active wells right now.” The wells range from 55 and 110 feet deep all in a sand and gravel aquafer.

In the year 1888, a company from New York installed a facility to draw water from the Wisconsin River. At that point in history, the water from the river was very dirty due to lack of regulation for the factories lining the river. Therefore it is not a surprise that the city bought the infrastructure and used those in groundwater wells instead of using river water for the public.

Iverson Park was actually built by the city water department, which is why the park has the words, “The City of Wonderful Water” displayed near the entrance of the park.  The park was a water department facility in the 1920’s.  Lemke said, “The old stone buildings in Iverson Park were actually used as well buildings.

For the 2016 taste test, Bloomington Minnesota won first place in the American Water Works Association competition, and Stevens Point was not even in the top three.

A municipal water well was recently taken off-line because it had high nitrates from agricultural activity on the West side of town. Manure and fertilizers can infiltrate through the soil and contaminate not only municipal, but household water wells, which makes the water unsafe to drink.

Stevens Point’s wells are not the only ones in danger. All through the state, water wells are being contaminated by nitrates from agricultural operations.

The city has an impressive past with water, but with the threat of runoff the taste and safety of water is in peril.

Genevieve Adamski

Environment Editor

gadam90@uwsp.edu

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