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September 30, 2003
EPA testing ways to cut arsenic
by Paul Hammel, Omaha World-HeraldA federal environmental agency is offering some relief, albeit small, for Nebraska's multimillion-dollar arsenic dilemma.
The Environmental Protection Agency has selected two small towns, Lyman, in the Panhandle, and Stromsburg, in central Nebraska, as potential demonstration sites for new and less-costly systems to reduce arsenic levels in drinking water.
The demonstrations could result in cheaper alternatives for 58 towns and 18 other small water systems across the state - from Columbus to Culbertson, Alliance to Peru -- seeking to comply with a new EPA arsenic standard set to go into effect in 2006.
At this point, estimates have ranged as high as $120 million for the Nebraska communities to meet the new standard, a cost that some officials have said could nearly bankrupt some small towns.
"Maybe we're making enough noise that we're finally getting some attention," said Andy Kahle, drinking water specialist for the Nebraska Health and Human Services System.
Nebraska has been among the Western states fighting the new standard. But a state lawsuit -- based on the argument that the new standard is without scientific basis -- has so far been a loser.
The state's congressional delegation also has sought to help by seeking federal funds.
But in August, a regional EPA administrator told a gathering in McCook that the best bet for small towns was to sit tight, seek some extensions of the deadline and await development of cheaper alternatives.
The two towns will meet with vendors of treatments systems, who will submit proposals by January 5. Then an independent review committee will pick the winning proposals.
The EPA would finance the cost of the demonstration systems, with the communities paying for any personnel or maintenance costs.
"This could mean some wonderful things for Stromsburg," said Barb Cotter, the city clerk of the town, population 1,232. "We're sure hoping we can be a test site."
Stromsburg's three municipal wells tested at an average of 27 parts per billion for arsenic, nearly three times the new EPA standard of 10 ppb.
Cotter said the town has already contacted some engineers about possible treatment options and has done preliminary work on sites for new wells.
Either option is expected to cost more than $1 million, she said.
One town, Bartley, NE, population 339, is looking at a treatment system that would cost $13,500 per household.
But at the McCook arsenic meeting, one company touted a solution that could cost $5 per household per month.
Nebraska water systems with arsenic levels exceeding federal limits with the population served and the highest level (mg/L) of arsenic.
Alliance : Population: 9,600 -- arsenic level:15
Anselmo: 150 -- 22.6
Arapahoe: 1,020 -- 14.9
Arthur County District No. 500: 120 -- 14.9
Arthur County School District No. 32: 33 -- 13
Atkinson: 1,380 -- 12
Banner County District No. 1: 250 -- 11.6
Bartley: 339 -- 11.5
Beaver City: 641 -- 11
Bellwood: 440 -- 11.7
Benkelman: 1,133 -- 14
Boelus: 424 -- 13
Broadwater: 140 -- 17
Broken Bow: 3,474 -- 14
Cairo: 735 -- 14
Cambridge: 1,107 -- 14.1
Cass County SID No. 5: 538 -- 16.1
Central City: 3,001 -- 14
Chappell: 1,961 -- 14
Colon; 150 -- 10.6
Columbus: 21,000 -- 22
Country Estates Mobile Home, Washington County: 300 -- 10.8
Cozad: 4,033 -- 23
Creston: 215 -- 13.3
Culbertson: 596 -- 13
Elwood: 761 -- 13
Eustis: 464 --11
Furnas County District No. 540: 25 -- 16.9
Gering: 8,000 --13
Giltner: 360 -- 11
Haigler: 211 -- 19.7
Harrisburg Water System: 150 -- 15
Holbrook: 237 -- 17.6
Howard County District #118: 115 -- 15.6
Indianola: 672 -- 15
Lakeview Community School: 400 -- 11.7
Lebanon: 70 -- 13.9
Lodgepole: 348 -- 11.5
Loup County District No. 25: 145 -- 15
Lyman: 450 -- 25
Madison County SID No. 5: 130 -- 14
McCook : 7,994 -- 14
McLean: 36 -- 14
McPherson County District No. 4, McPherson County: 50 --13.8
McPherson County District No. 90, McPherson County: 25 -- 12
Michael Foods Bloom-N-Egg, Knox County: 100 --13.1
Minatare Plaza, Scotts Bluff County: 350 --16
Morrill: 974 -- 24
Mullen: 491 --15
North Loup: 410 --11.4
Nucor Steel, Stanton County: 420 --11
O'Neill: 3,814 --13
Orleans: 490 --24
Osceola: 860 --12
Oshkosh: 897 --15
Palisade: 380 --10.5
Pender: 1,208 --35.7
Peru: 823 --18.8
Progress Vanguard South Morrill, Scotts Bluff County: 40 -- 47.7
Red Willow County: 51 -- 20.3
Rinker Materials, Sarpy County: 201 -- 21.3
Riverton: 145 -- 13.1
Scotts Bluff County District No. 20: 89 -- 10.6
Scotts Bluff County District No. 5: 56 -- 12.2
Shelton: 1,140 -- 16
Stamford: 130 -- 11
Stratton: 396 -- 12
Stromsburg: 1,232 -- 21
Sunflower Mobile Home Court, Scotts Bluff County: 47 -- 11.8
Terrytown: 2,133 -- 28
Trenton: 1,163 -- 17
Wauneta: 625 -- 13
Wood Lake: 69 -- 14.6
York: 6,061 -- 34
Source: Nebraska Health and Human Services