Ely Township Seeks $1.9 million to Fix High Manganese in Greenwood System

Ely Township asked the House Appropriations Subcommittee to fund a roughly $2,000,000 project to replace or upgrade treatment for the Greenwood water system after township testing revealed elevated manganese concentrations.

"The Greenwood water system serves 141 households," Ely Township Supervisor Jeremy Lasko told the subcommittee. He said earlier testing protocols had been incorrect and that properly conducted tests identified high manganese; the local health department has required bottled water for children 12 and younger.

Lasko said the township estimates a total project cost of $2,000,000 to build a housing facility for sand filters to remove manganese. He said the township has secured a $100,000 state feasibility grant and has explored reusing an existing nearby automotive repair building to reduce costs.

"We're trying every avenue possible to get these costs down so that we can provide the quality water that every resident on this system deserves," Lasko said. He told the committee that Greenwood is a self‑supporting system funded through user charges rather than general taxes and that the current flat rate is $52 per month.

Representative Steckloff asked how many households are on the system; Lasko confirmed the system serves 141 households and said the township would consider a base rate plus metered charges. He told the committee the total request before the panel is $1,900,000 after the $100,000 feasibility grant.

Lasko also described a separate, much costlier option that was considered—combining Greenwood and the Diorite system—estimating a $6–8 million price tag and saying that option is not financially feasible now. The township said it has deferred routine small maintenance projects while pursuing the filtration project.

No vote was taken; the presentation focused on technical options, costs and efforts to minimize the burden on a small user base.