Water Rates Will Rise as Radium Levels Fall in Sussex

There's no telling how far water rates will climb in Sussex, but it is certain that rates will float higher in the near future.

One well in Sussex has exceeded its allowable level of radium present in the water, and another well will soon exceed the allowable radium level threshold. Now, Sussex leaders are working to solve the problem, which could be a pricey fix.

"There will be impact to rates there's no doubt. The question is how much," said Village Manager Jeremy Smith.

The two wells in question, Well #4 and Well #5, pump the largest volume of water to the village of the seven total wells in Sussex. The village has contracted with an outside consultant to provide a cost analysis, and cost-effective solutions to the problem. Capital costs and operating costs are all under consideration and the village explores its options. 

In May village officials agreed to a consent order with the Department of Natural Resources to develop a plan to reduce radium levels in Well #4, which exceeds federal radium levels. The village will need to submit an eradication plan to the DNR for approval by December. Then, the village would have 18 months to implement its plan. 

The Public Works Committee recently agreed to contract the work to Crispell-Snyder Inc., at an hourly rate of $89 to $140 and $2,500 to update its 2006 well study. Crispell-Snyder consultants will meet with village staff in July, and will present the report in August.

Smith said most water filters remove 80 percent of the radium present in water. But as a supplier the village must remain below mandated limits. Eradication methods remove 70 to 90 percent of radium once implemented, but the specific method to use is the big question. 

There are four general options to reduce radium. Blending wells is a simple option, but not one suited for Sussex. 

"That's a challenge for Sussex because you need to have a shallow well," said Assistant Village Manager Melissa Weiss. "With all the quarries in the area, we have found it difficult for the DNR to approve a shallow well." 

Two options involve mixing chemicals in the water that bind to radium, and is then filtered out. However, both options are risky as the filtered radium would be transported and disposed at one of two landfills in the country that take radioactive waste. Were something to go wrong, Sussex could be liable. 

"It most likely would be a suit under federal law," Smith said. "There's a liability there, but I couldn't tell you today what that liability is at this point." 

A fourth solution involves a sand filtration process, and the radium is disposed into a sanitary sewer. There currently is no law on the books that regulates the discharge of radium into sanitary sewers. It's not clear if regulation would be passed in the future, however. 

The village's consultant could present more options when it updates the village's 2006 study. 

Regardless, Sussex will largely fix its radium problem on its own. There are very few grants and other monies available to help offset costs for this type of project. 

"Because this problem is limited geographically...the EPA has not set aside any funds for radium," "We applied for a grant when Sen. (Herb) Kohl was still a Senator...we were kindly told, 'That's not going to happen.'"