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Bloomington officials report clean water tests, urge planning for UV system as chlorine phase-out looms
Summary
Village wastewater and drinking-water annual reports earned top marks; operator Larry Gates recommended starting bids for a UV disinfection system because DNR will phase out chlorine systems and UV costs have risen sharply.
Village wastewater and drinking-water annual reports for 2024 earned top marks and prompted trustees to begin planning for a costly equipment upgrade.
Larry Gates reviewed the village’s 2024 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report (CMAR) and the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), telling the board the village “received straight A’s on these reports.” Gates said an E. coli concern earlier in the year was traced to dirt in the system and resolved after temporary chlorination; he reported there were no regulatory violations.
Gates urged the board to begin soliciting bids for a UV disinfection system, saying the state Department of Natural Resources is phasing out chlorine-based systems and that estimated costs have jumped since 2023. “A UV system that cost about $60,000 in 2023 is now around $120,000,” he said, adding that starting the procurement process now would show regulators the village is upgrading toward compliance and could mitigate future permit or enforcement risks.
The board also received an update on the water-tower inspection: Gates said the only outstanding item was late lead-service-line reports, which have been filed and resolved.
Why it matters: the village’s drinking-water and wastewater systems are subject to state oversight, and capital upgrades such as a UV system carry significant up-front costs and multi-year planning needs. Trustees did not authorize a purchase at this meeting but discussed beginning bid solicitations and budgeting work ahead of the DNR timeline.
Next steps: Gates will file the annual reports for the village and the board will consider procurement timelines and budget implications for a UV disinfection system at a future meeting.
