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Cornish board discusses reverse-osmosis, grants after worsening water tests
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Summary
Cornish officials spent the longest portion of their meeting reviewing water samples that show rising nitrates, TDS and manganese, discussed treatment options including reverse osmosis and blending, and agreed to convene treatment experts and pursue potential state funding for manganese removal.
Cornish council and planning staff devoted a large portion of their meeting to worsening water-quality results and possible fixes for the town’s wells and springs.
Unidentified Speaker 3, who led the discussion, said a recent sample from the pitcher well showed higher total dissolved solids and manganese than earlier tests and that chloride and sulfur levels were also elevated. The board discussed treatment technologies including reverse osmosis (RO), ion-exchange and green-sand filters, and blending higher-quality spring water with treated source water.
Officials cautioned that RO can remove dissolved minerals but may also exacerbate corrosion by producing low-mineral water that strips scale from old pipes. "RO will strip all that out of your pipe," an unidentified speaker said during the meeting, noting the potential for increased corrosion and the operational complications of treating water that then re-enters legacy distribution piping.
The board reviewed vendor conversations: Waterford initially assessed options, Culligan offered a lower-cost alternative but cautioned the project is complex, and the town reported contact with several jurisdictions operating RO systems in similar settings. Unidentified Speaker 3 said they had spoken with Sarah Page at Utah Water, who identified available funding to assist with manganese removal but warned that high fluoride levels likely require RO or blending to meet acceptable levels.
Board members agreed to schedule a technical meeting that includes engineers, treatment vendors and representatives from Boise-based experts so the town can weigh costs, logistics and the risk that RO-treated water could interact with pipe deposits. "I think we ought to get as many people in the room as we can and just hammer it out," an unidentified participant said.
Next steps included compiling a list of vendors to provide proposals, inviting state treatment experts and funding contacts, and holding a follow-up meeting to review vendor quotes and grant possibilities. The board did not take a formal vote on a specific treatment plan at this meeting.
