Ramsey Resident - 2019 - July/August

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Employee Spotlight: Utilities Supervisor John Nelson Talks City Water When the City of Ramsey’s water system was random-City’s eight wells tested ly chosen to be a part of the Unregulated Contaminant above the MDH recom- Monitoring Rule 4 (UCMR 4) program, Ramsey’s Util-mended health guidelines ities Supervisor John Nelson had little reason to expect for bottle-fed infants, that there would be an issue. children and adults. Two A er all, the City has operated a municipal well more tested above the rec- system for 34 years without a hint of any issues and the ommended guidelines for City’s water supply undergoes rigorous health and safety bottle-fed infants.  e other checks on a regular basis. Providing safe drinking water is wells have low manganese levels. the number one priority of the City’s water utility depart- “Before the guidelines changed, manganese and iron ment.were ﬁ ltered and removed only for aesthetic reasons,” As part of this new state program, the Minnesota Nelson said. “We’ve been setting aside funds for a future Department of Health (MDH) tested 100 of the state’s water treatment facility for some time now. We knew one 1,000 municipal water systems for various elements day we would have to move in that direction, but I would including manganese. Manganese is a naturally occurring never have guessed that manganese would have been the element in the rock and soil. It is especially present in factor to get the conversation started.” Minnesota ground and surface water. Nelson said that as soon as the City was notiﬁ ed of the elevated manganese levels, they began using the wells “The City’s water supply undergoes lowest in manganese.  e lowest manganese wells cannot rigorous health and safety checks on a always meet the community’s demand for water. When regular basis.” the demand for water increases, the City will mix the -John Nelson, water from all wells to lower the manganese levels. Utility Supervisor “To ﬁ lter manganese is a simple process,” Nelson said. John Nelson spends his professional life monitor- Water so eners, pour-through pitchers, refrigerator ﬁ lters ing the condition of the City’s three water towers, eight and reverse osmosis systems can help ﬁ lter manganese out. municipal wells, 1,000 plus hydrants and over 3,000 water  e City is in the early stages of meeting with consultants main valves. Over the course of a 21-year career with the to gather information and bids on a new water treatment City of Ramsey, Nelson has watched the City grow from facility, but it will be at least two years before a water only needing three wells in the late 1990s, to the eight treatment plant is completed. well system it uses today. Nearly half of the City’s population has private wells. “Our system serves approximately 5,600 households,”  ese wells are not connected to the City’s system.  e Nelson said. “ e water is drawn up from a well that’s 300 City encourages private well owners to get their water feet in the ground. From there, the water is treated with tested also because of the similar geology of the area. If polyphosphates, chlorine gas and ﬂ uoride and sent out to you do get your water tested, please share your results homes.” with John Nelson at: jnelson@cityoframsey.com. For Nelson said the MDH requires the City to test for more information on the City’s water system, visit our certain elements and regulates how o en they test for website at www.cityoframsey.com. those elements. “It’s diﬀ erent for every community,” he said. “It Water Conservation Tips depends on what elevation you’re at, what the rock is like, are available at www.cityofram- what your history is, all kinds of factors.” sey.com/240/Water-Conserva-  e City had test samples drawn from seven of the tion. City’s eight wells.  ose tests showed that two of the Ramsey Resident • July/August 20195