Hastings Utilities is looking to combine a couple of water treatment options to combat the rising level of nitrates in the groundwater in and around Hastings.
Marty Stange, HU environmental supervisor, spoke about those options as part of the Hastings Wellhead Protection Area Action Plan Thursday morning during the Little Blue Natural Resource District's third annual soil and water conference at the Adams County Fairgrounds.
According to drinking water standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency, water can have no more than 10 milligrams per liter of nitrates.
Stange said some Hastings wells have had recorded nitrate levels of 8 or 9 mg/L. Information about the wellhead protection plan provided by HU states that nitrate levels at some locations in the area are as high as 50 mg/L.
Stange said $75 million is the estimate now to provide enough clean water for all of Hastings, as much as 25 million gallons per day but 8 million on average.
To read more, see Friday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
