Western Springs water plant rehab means harder water for now

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Updated: February 27, 2012 8:19AM

The year-long rehabilitation of the Western Springs water plant should provide better-than-ever water when it’s completed, despite some inconvenience for some residents along the way.

Each year, the village’s Water Department serves more than 4,400 customers by pumping water from local wells to the treatment plant at 614 Hillgrove. Ave. The water is softened and purified before it’s pumped into the distribution system for consumer use.

The rehabilitation project was started in the fall and should be completed in 2012, said Ken Hayes, the village’s water plant operator.

“You never really know what you might run into during a project like this that could cause delays, but we could be done some time this fall, maybe around early November,” Hayes said. “We had a very old system, and a committee was formed to look into the best way to continue providing water. There was a lot of time spent on this. They looked at lake water and upgrading the line system and decided to stay with using the wells.”

The rehabilitation process of the water plant includes installation of a system that uses reverse osmosis, which is new for Western Springs. That process removes a select number of contaminants from drinking water through use of a semi-permeable membrane.

“The water should taste as good as it has, and there are many benefits of how it affects plumbing and household appliances,” Hayes said. “It will be a softer water.”

The new system will result in less flooding and allow the village to provide consistently soft water during summer months, something that hasn’t previously been the case, Hayes said.

“During the summer, we haven’t been able to soften all of the water, so me mixed water that was softened with some that wasn’t,” he said.

The major inconvenience for Western Springs residents during the project is caused by the water plant being unable to soften water before it is distributed.

“We’ve had some calls; people have commented about the hardness of the water,” Hayes said. “They have said when they wash dishes, the water looks cloudy.”

While Hayes is not endorsing any particular water-softening products, he did say some effective ones are available to purchase for those interested.

During the rehab project, the water plant will continue to maintain effective chlorine (disinfectant) residuals, remove iron, and stabilize the pH (sodium hydroxide) in the water. The water chemistry will be monitored to ensure that the water quality meets or exceeds government regulations.

Also, during the project, the water treatment plant intends to use water primarily from well No. 4. The well has a naturally occurring fluoride level of about 2.1 mg/L. This level is considered to be safe for drinking; however, fluoride levels in drinking water above 2.0 mg/L may cause some adolescent children to show signs of dental fluorosis, according to information from the village.

Dental fluorosis is a condition that occurs in developing permanent teeth before they erupt from the gums. Commonly exhibited signs of dental fluorosis are white streaks on the teeth in minor cases to brown discoloration in more severe cases. Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition only and does not affect the overall health in the integrity of the tooth. Children and adults who already have permanent teeth exposed will not be affected.

Village officials suggest that any concerns regarding the possible impact of dental fluorosis should be directed to a family dentist.