Improper backwashing procedure due to formal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) never being set in place. No fault of any one person as no staff member was aware it was an issue until it was stumbled across by a current employee.”

City Administrator Nicole Pilgrim

The cause of discolored city water in Stanley has been determined, with steps taken to rectify the situation. Identified as originating from improper backwashing procedure, the news was announced by the city Wednesday, Nov. 6.
“There may be a possibility of some brown tinted water this evening,” the city announced via social media. “In response to this, as we know it has been a recurring issue, we have determined the cause of the colored water and are working to rectify the problem. It should be resolved within the next day.
“If brown water continues for more (than) 48 hours, please bring in a sample of that colored water as soon as possible.”
City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Nicole Pilgrim shared more when contacted for followup.
“Improper backwashing procedure due to formal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) never being set in place,” Pilgrim said of the cause. “No fault of any one person as no staff member was aware it was an issue until it was stumbled across by a current employee.”
Backwashing refers to pumping water backwards through filter media to remove accumulated material and is practiced as a form of preventative maintenance.
Pilgrim said that proper backwash procedure was being documented in an SOP and training set in place.
“Proper procedure is being documented in a SOP and training set in place,” she said. “Additional water testing will be done from samples taken at local businesses on Friday, Nov. 7.”
The issue of discolored water had come to a head just days earlier, as concerned business owners shared how the water issue had been affecting things at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting.
“It’s the talk of the town,” Stanley Movie Theater owner Theresa Pries said of reports the northwest water treatment plant had been down in September. While the Central Water Treatment Plant had remained operational, Pries and others sought assurances from the city that larger water issues would be dealt with, including having an on site water operator in the city.
“Anything we can do to keep money in Stanley, that’s something I support,” Pries said.
Also speaking were Debbie Haas of Debbie’s on Broadway and Tom Larson of Reclaimed Tavern about broader city water issues from the northwest plant shutdown and the city’s water reputation potentially damaging that of the businesses that depended on that water.
“At what point should we be notified as business owners?” Larson asked of the plant shutdown, which lasted for five weeks from Sept. 11. The plant, now back online, had left city residents dependent on the central water treatment plant alone, itself in line for replacement. The plant had held up during that time, but reports of brown water showed the hazard of relying on just one plant for city water needs.
Haas meanwhile brought up the issue of employee training.
“Are they going to be trained on this plant?” Haas asked of pending new employees to be hired for the northwest water treatment plant, now online after being shut down for five weeks as of Sept. 11. Haas also asked why old city employees couldn’t be paid at the rate of new employees, the city recently approving raises for existing employees to take effect Jan. 1.
Haas did not receive a clear answer Monday on operator training, the city holding a special meeting on Wednesday Oct. 29 at which it decided to contract with Donohue & Associates as well as J. F. Ahern for city water operations over three months.
The total cost of the two firms is $177,135, with Donohue & Associates being $71,240 and J.F. Ahern costing $104,735. Donohue will oversee day-to-day operations and train new staff, while J.F. Ahern will have a journeyman plumber on site to run the northwest plant. New water department employees are in the process of being hired while J.F. Ahern runs the plant, the city hoping to have new water staff in place by Dec. 1.
Also brought up for concern at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting was a coming hike in city water rates, proposed to compensate for a lack of yearly water rate increases since 2017, effectively doubling current water rates. The new water rates still await a public hearing to be approved and become effective upon completion of a new Central Water Treatment Plant.
“With the new rates, I might as well use my own well,” Larson said of the coming water rate hike, saying that he had bought a Brita water filter and redone the plumbing when he opened two years ago, using bottled water that cost more money as city water issues continued.
Also touched on by Larson were a need for greater transparency from the city, need for a real number on cost, and high number of rentals in the city, reflecting high poverty.
“Why not keep that money rural?” Larson said of the water operator position. “Why not create a good job and support a family?
Answering in turn for the city was interim water operator in charge Jon Strand of CBS Squared, contracted with the city to make EMOR submittals through December. Strand said he shared concerns over discolored city water, the issue due in part to 55 year old equipment at the plant that needed replacement.
“I do share your concerns about discolored water,” he said. “It’s not what you want, it’s not what you intend.” The issue, he said, was that, “the northwest plant was offline and the central plant wasn’t producing as clean water as it should.” Discolored water could come from minerals suspended in the water, with hydrant flushing meant to flush and prevent water pooling in the system.
Strand said the Environmental Protection Agency sets maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) based on a 60 year residence in an area. Some contaminants, like iron, don’t really have an upper limit for health while others, like manganese do.
The EPA lifetime MCL for manganese is 300 milligrams per liter. Previous reports of yellow water in the city have been tied to iron, while Strand said that manganese often shows up as black specs. As for water safety concerns, Strand said that results on city water are tested daily for both plants, then sent to a state database.
Other impacts that can be caused by minerals in water without affecting health meanwhile are aesthetic (undesirable taste or odors), cosmetic (not damaging to the body but still undesirable), and technical (damage to water equipment or reduced effective of treatment for other contaminants).
It was agreed after Monday’s committee of the whole meeting that Strand would share water quality results sent to the state database with the city administrator/clerk-treasurer as well, to post to Facebook and the city website, ensuring transparency amidst water concerns.
In the meantime, residents and others can access public record water data for Stanley at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/dwsportalpub/DS/View/144992.