Dirty river slows water treatment

Anyone looking at the Green River during the past week may have questioned if the river needs a new name.

Dirt and sediment flowing from the Big Sandy River has caused the river to change color to a more muddy hue. The additional particulates have also affected how water treatment is conducted at the Joint Powers Water Board’s treatment facility.

Bryan Seppie, director of engineering and planning for the water board, said the large spike in particulates in the water is a result of the recent spring storms occurring throughout the state.

“I think it’s coming from the Big Sandy,” Seppie said.

The Green River is fed through releases from the Fontanelle Reservoir, as well as the Big Sandy River. While the Fontanelle has a settling basin that allows particulates to deposit before water is released, the Big Sandy River will carry silt and other particles with it and deposit them into the Green River when the two join. Seppie said the river’s turbidity, a measurement of particulates within the water, increased Thursday, with a higher spike occurring Saturday evening.

Seppie said the water caused the treatment facility to slow its production to compensate for the higher turbidity and forced it to rely on storage tanks to fill the demand. While production has slowed for the past few days, Seppie said turbidity is decreasing, which will allow the treatment plant to process more water.

Occasional changes in the river highlight the reservoir project the water board is embarking on near the city. Seppie said the reservoir, once completed, will give the option of blending water from the reservoir with silt-filled water from the river to treat water without reducing the amount of water treated at the plant. Also, it allows the water board to cut treatment completely if the river is contaminated with a chemical, allowing water board employees to wait for the chemical to flow downstream before resuming water treatment.