CLAREMORE. OKLA. — The City of Claremore celebrated the completion of improvements to its water treatment plant on August 26.
The celebration included many of the people who worked on the $28 million project, which city officials say took around five years of planning, permitting and construction.
John Feary, Claremore City Manager, explained why the upgrades were needed.
“So, there is a high manganese content in northeast Oklahoma groundwater," Feary said. "We have our own lake, and manganese is a metal the federal government is preparing to regulate. There was going to be a mandate soon saying, ‘You’re going to have to account for this.’"
"We wanted to get ahead of it and also address other concerns that had built up over the years because we had a very old plant."
According to the Water Quality Association, manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that is not harmful in low levels. However, elevated levels in water can lead to discoloration and a metallic taste.
Jason Garder, with the infrastructure company Burns & McDonnell, showed 2 News the new equipment designed to treat manganese found in the water.
“So behind us are the greensand filters," Garder said. "They contain a manganese-coated media element, and the whole purpose is to capture the manganese. Ultimately, the water leaving the plant should be cleaner and have fewer color issues."
"Another part of the process targets organic material found in Claremore Lake and the natural source water.”
Feary also says the improvements will help meet the city’s water capacity and quality needs through the year 2070.
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