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Helena water director says Canyon Ferry treatment keeps drinking water safe after dead birds found
Summary
City staff reported dead birds in a Canyon Ferry surface-water source; Director Lila told commissioners the city uses sedimentation, filtration and chlorine with 4-log removal for cryptosporidium and giardia, monitors bacteria weekly and chlorine residual daily, and is in compliance.
City officials told the Helena City Commission on Dec. 18 that an observed presence of dead birds at the Canyon Ferry surface-water intake has not compromised the safety of the municipal water supply.
Acting City Manager Petty relayed a staff memo about dead birds at a city water source. Director Lila explained the Canyon Ferry system is a surface-water source and described the city’s treatment process: sedimentation, filtration and chlorination. She said the city follows guidance that tracks cryptosporidium and giardia as indicators, maintains a 4-log removal standard for those protozoa, tests bacteria levels weekly and checks chlorine residual daily, and that the system is in regulatory compliance.
"We do have treatment in place where we do sedimentation, we do filtration, and then anything that goes through that is smaller, the viruses, we treat with chlorine," Director Lila said. "We have 4 log removal. So we are in compliance and our water is safe."
No illnesses or regulatory violations were reported during the meeting. Staff did not provide a timeline for follow-up testing in the transcript; commissioners requested more information and staff reaffirmed monitoring procedures.
