The Hastings City Council met on Tuesday, January 22nd for a workshop to hear the results and recommendations of the consultant hired to disseminate options for treatment of the municipal water supply. Three representatives from Stantec consultants invited by Public Works Director Nick Egger outlined a combination of 5 possible options that the city could implement to prevent contamination of the municipal water supply. The first option would be Liquid Chlorination. That is what the city is currently using at a rate of approximately 1 part per million.
The initial capital cost would be $155,000 with additional $99,000 required per year to pay for product and labor to complete the addition of the chemical as well as do periodic testing for effective usage. That would not include design costs which would add 15 to 30 percent for each location that would need to be outfitted. Concerns connected with that option is some who dislike the taste, smell or drying effect of that additive to the drinking water.
Another option would be the use of Chlorine Gas, an initial cost in the capital comes in about twice as much, $351,000 with about half the annual cost- $44,000 more per year. One drawback, said Stantec, is concern over exposure and maintenence of a gas based product that includes handling and safety including accidental discharge of the product into the community. Discussion of hazard concern took place between council and the consultant with assurance of training and protocol in proper handling of the gas to limit community risk.
