by Jennifer Holbrook-Fish   

A long, standing water quality concern is, again, being discussed by many residents in Homer. Some village residents notice that their water has an unpleasant odor and that their bath fixtures are becoming dis­colored - a problem dating back at least 30 years.  

Some village residents took to social media recently to air their complaints. “I buy spring water … I never drank city water … or buy purified water,” said one social media post.  

The issue caught the atten­tion of Village Manager Scott Salow, who emphasized de­spite the odor and discol­oration the village water is safe. 

“All of our tests have come back at a normal level. No lead and copper in reports. Our lev­els are not even traceable.”  Bacteria, a common contami­nant, is tested monthly at four different locations, according to Jeremy Staggs, the director of the department of public works in Homer.  “Safety and transparency are top priorities for the DPW.”  

Salow and Staggs agree that the cause of the water com­plaints stem from two sources. Sediment buildup within the pipes, being the primary issue. A portion of the pipes in Homer’s water system date back to 1913. “If we had brand new pipes, we would probably not be having this conversa­tion,” suggested Staggs.  

Older plumbing and appli­ances within the homes of the community, may also be the cause of the odor and discol­oration residents are seeing.  

“We have found that resi­dents that have a routine filter maintenance program, don’t have as many concerns,” ex­plained Salow.     

Salow and Staggs, remind community members to take proactive measures, within their homes. Suggestions from the Michigan Rural Water As­sociation (MRWA)  include clean­ing faucet aerators,  properly maintaining water heaters and changing water filters. Additionally, periodic water testing can provide valuable information.  

“Watch your water. If you notice unusual color, taste, odor or cloudiness - don’t ig­nore it. Give us a call so we can check it out,” Salow en­couraged. 

Together with the MRWA, Salow and Staggs are develop­ing solutions to address the water quality in Homer. Salow plans to schedule a community event to invite residents and MRWA employees to discuss concerns and workable solu­tions.  

Hydrant flushing is sched­uled to be done bi-annually in Homer. Typically, the spring flushing window is between late April and early May, and the fall window being mid-to­ late September.  

“We are going to increase that to four times a year, just to help combat some of the is­ sues we’ve been experienc­ing. Hopefully a more fre­quent flushing of hydrants will improve the water quali­ty for our residents,” Salow stat­ed. 

A portion of the water main located near the traffic circle is scheduled to be re­placed in the spring. The vil­lage will be working with Civica Engineering to complete this project. A loan and grant was administered on behalf of the Rural Utilities Services (RUS) by the State and Area staff of USDA Rural Devel­opment, according to Salow. The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million dollars.

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