The Oxford Township Board last week decided to continue allowing the Oakland County Drain Commission to chlorinate the municipal water system at an estimated cost of $10,000 to $15,000 per year.
According to Tim Prince, chief engineer for the drain commission, the chlorination process has been going on since Feb. 10 following the detection of total coliform bacteria in test samples taken from the water system.
Pumping chlorine ? a disinfectant? into the water will help “prevent future incidents” such as the above, Prince said.
Prince said chlorine will automatically be mixed with the water at the township’s three well houses ? Mickelson Shores, Oxford Woods and Oxford Oaks ? whenever the pumps are activated.
Residents may notice a “slight” chlorine odor from their water, but no discoloration, he said.
Residents living closer to the well houses may notice higher chlorine residuals, depending on their individual sensitivities, Prince explained.
The further away residents live from the well houses, the less chlorine residuals will be noticeable in the water.
Prince said residents wishing to remove the chlorine from their water can install carbon filters on their faucets.
Parks Director Ron Davis, a township resident, told the board that after the drain commission flushed the system with chlorine to rid it of the total coliform bacteria, his water had a “residual red tint” and he could still smell the chlorine 3-4 days later.
Prince said the discoloration Davis experienced was the result of some iron in the lines being “stirred up,” not the chlorination. He said the spring flushing scheduled for April 28 through May 1 “should clear out any stirred up iron.” ? Editor C.J. Carnacchio