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Health director recommends annual inspection of well water
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| Above is a residence on Southwest Briarbrook Place in the Piccadilly Park Subdivision. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter |
City’s service area has potential to grow in the future.
By JEFF M. HARDISON
jhardison@lakecityreporter.com
Columbia County Health Department Environmental Health Director Mark Lander recommends annual testing of water quality for people who use their own well water.
Lander was responding to a question about water quality in the Picadilly Park subdivision. Lake City Growth Management Director Larry Lee said he believed that flooding causes water-quality problems there.
When there is flooding, Lander said, any shallow well can suffer from contaminants from creek overflow. The water turns brown, he said. Well water includes anything that goes into the aquifer feeding the well, he said.
People bring water samples to the health department and when it shows positive results for bacteriological contamination, they receive instructions on how to disinfect their well and to treat their drinking water, Lander said.
The health department tests well water samples for a $15 fee, he said.
For people whose wells suffer from continual bacteriological contamination, Lander recommends connecting to city water if it is possible. If that is not possible, he recommends people with adversely affected wells purchase an automated chlorinating device.
Some people don’t like the city water because of chlorine, Lander said, but the level of chlorine can be adjusted to kill bacteria and not impact the taste as much.
The potential already exists for some property owners adjacent to the north side of County Road 242 to connect with city water as there is a new 20-inch water main there, City Engineer Henry Sheldon said.
Lee said that with the new water plant, there is a clean, protected source of
water for people in that portion of the Greater Lake City Regional Utility Authority’s service area.
City Manager Scott Reynolds said he foresees the city being able to provide water to the Picadilly Park subdivision within the next two years.
Sheldon said there is an immediate benefit to people next to CR 242, even before connecting to the city for water to drink.
Fire hydrants are in place now, he said, and are spaced every 1,200 feet.
The fire hydrants help reduce the insurance rates for homeowners’ property, Sheldon said. The property owners need to update their polices for this savings, he said.
Although Lee said there has been a problem with water quality in the Picadilly Park subdivision during flooding, some area residents disagreed.
Tony Buzzella said his family bought property in the Picadilly Park subdivision in the early 1980s. He prefers the natural spring water in comparison with city water.
“Our water is the cleanest, sweetest water I ever tasted,” Buzzella said. “We’ve never had a problem there. And as far as fluoridation, I’ll take the water just the way God created it. That’s the best for me. You can’t improve on nature.”
Buzzella said he moved to Columbia County from the Miami area. After tasting his own well water, Buzzella said he does not want to go back to drinking city water.
Other people in the area agree with him. LaPalma “Sonia” Crawford, 76, has lived
in an area to the east of the subdivision since the 1970s.
“There’s nothing wrong with the water around here,” Crawford said.
Other people in the area agree.
Condriah Williams, 20, lives on Blueberry Place off Mockingbird Way in the Picadilly Park subdivision.
“The water is OK,” Williams said, “but I don’t think personally that the well is dug deep enough.”
The water at her home is not as good as the well water at her mother’s house, she said, which is in the South Point subdivision. Williams said she never drank city water, even when she lived in apartments in Lake City. She always drank bottled water, she said.
Chris Harris, 20, one of Williams’ neighbors, said he too thinks the well water where he lives on Blueberry Place is fine.
Tim Carson, 52, who has lived in Picadilly Park since 1989, said he thinks the water is good. During the last extreme drought, he added, his well had to be drilled deeper.
For people who want to connect to city water service near CR 242, it may be a while. There first must be enough demand for the city to justify adding the extra lines from the 20-inch water main.
Lander was responding to a question about water quality in the Picadilly Park subdivision. Lake City Growth Management Director Larry Lee said he believed that flooding causes water-quality problems there.
When there is flooding, Lander said, any shallow well can suffer from contaminants from creek overflow. The water turns brown, he said. Well water includes anything that goes into the aquifer feeding the well, he said.
People bring water samples to the health department and when it shows positive results for bacteriological contamination, they receive instructions on how to disinfect their well and to treat their drinking water, Lander said.
The health department tests well water samples for a $15 fee, he said.
For people whose wells suffer from continual bacteriological contamination, Lander recommends connecting to city water if it is possible. If that is not possible, he recommends people with adversely affected wells purchase an automated chlorinating device.
Some people don’t like the city water because of chlorine, Lander said, but the level of chlorine can be adjusted to kill bacteria and not impact the taste as much.
The potential already exists for some property owners adjacent to the north side of County Road 242 to connect with city water as there is a new 20-inch water main there, City Engineer Henry Sheldon said.
Lee said that with the new water plant, there is a clean, protected source of
water for people in that portion of the Greater Lake City Regional Utility Authority’s service area.
City Manager Scott Reynolds said he foresees the city being able to provide water to the Picadilly Park subdivision within the next two years.
Sheldon said there is an immediate benefit to people next to CR 242, even before connecting to the city for water to drink.
Fire hydrants are in place now, he said, and are spaced every 1,200 feet.
The fire hydrants help reduce the insurance rates for homeowners’ property, Sheldon said. The property owners need to update their polices for this savings, he said.
Although Lee said there has been a problem with water quality in the Picadilly Park subdivision during flooding, some area residents disagreed.
Tony Buzzella said his family bought property in the Picadilly Park subdivision in the early 1980s. He prefers the natural spring water in comparison with city water.
“Our water is the cleanest, sweetest water I ever tasted,” Buzzella said. “We’ve never had a problem there. And as far as fluoridation, I’ll take the water just the way God created it. That’s the best for me. You can’t improve on nature.”
Buzzella said he moved to Columbia County from the Miami area. After tasting his own well water, Buzzella said he does not want to go back to drinking city water.
Other people in the area agree with him. LaPalma “Sonia” Crawford, 76, has lived
in an area to the east of the subdivision since the 1970s.
“There’s nothing wrong with the water around here,” Crawford said.
Other people in the area agree.
Condriah Williams, 20, lives on Blueberry Place off Mockingbird Way in the Picadilly Park subdivision.
“The water is OK,” Williams said, “but I don’t think personally that the well is dug deep enough.”
The water at her home is not as good as the well water at her mother’s house, she said, which is in the South Point subdivision. Williams said she never drank city water, even when she lived in apartments in Lake City. She always drank bottled water, she said.
Chris Harris, 20, one of Williams’ neighbors, said he too thinks the well water where he lives on Blueberry Place is fine.
Tim Carson, 52, who has lived in Picadilly Park since 1989, said he thinks the water is good. During the last extreme drought, he added, his well had to be drilled deeper.
For people who want to connect to city water service near CR 242, it may be a while. There first must be enough demand for the city to justify adding the extra lines from the 20-inch water main.
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Fear Uncertainty and Doubt wrote on Jun 14, 2008 7:52 PM:
Situation:
City extends water service
Problem:
Residents don't want it
Solution:
Tell them their water is bad for them and the city water is good for them.
Sorry, I don't buy it ... but this is business as usual for a government with an agenda contrary to the people they supposedly represent, but then I suppose we should expect no less from the self serving power hungry group we now have. "