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Ely Township seeks $1.9 million to fix manganese contamination in Greenwood water system
Summary
Ely Township requested $1.9 million to build a new filter facility to remove high manganese levels affecting 141 households on the Greenwood system; township said the existing system must provide bottled water for children under 12 until treatment is installed.
Ely Township Supervisor Jeremy Lasko told the House Appropriations Subcommittee the Greenwood water system serves 141 households and now shows elevated manganese levels that the local health department has deemed an emergent contaminant.
"The Greenwood Water System serves a 141 households. We, discovered that we have high manganese in the system," Lasko said, adding that the township has been required to provide bottled water for people 12 and younger until a treatment solution is implemented. The township estimates the total project cost at $2,000,000 and asked the subcommittee for $1,900,000 after receiving a $100,000 state feasibility grant.
Lasko described a plan to construct a new building to house sand-filter treatment that would remove manganese and produce treated water for every customer on the Greenwood system. Township officials said they explored combining Greenwood with the Diorite system (about 62 households) but found consolidation costs of $6–8 million would be prohibitive. The Greenwood system is financed only by user rates (a flat $52 per month); officials said spreading a $2 million cost across 141 households would be a heavy burden.
Committee members asked about household counts, metering and rate structures; Lasko said prior meters had plugged, possibly related to manganese, and that the township would evaluate a base rate plus metered charges. No motions or votes were recorded; the testimony was a funding appeal to the Legislature.
Ely Township said it will continue feasibility work to reduce costs, including evaluating reuse of a nearby building to house treatment equipment.
