Marshall Among Municipalities Investing In Water Infrastructure To Benefit Community Health Protect Natural Resources

The city of Marshall, along with regional partners, are working together to ensure our communities continue to have access to clean drinking water and area waterways are protected.

With state funding set aside to prepare the Marshall Area Jobs, Opportunity, and Recreation (MAJOR) Campus to be the home of Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan and other businesses in the future, these communities are investing in water filter and pipe upgrades and a new standby power generator. These investments are aimed at improving the efficiency and reliability of Marshall’s Water Treatment Plant and the region’s water supply program.

“We are excited about our work together on water infrastructure improvements that will benefit the health of our community and support ongoing efforts to protect our lakes, rivers and streams for future generations,” said Derek Perry, Marshall’s city manager.

Infrastructure to support the BlueOval Battery Park facility includes stormwater management, wastewater collection and air quality monitoring. These are all permitted and regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and governed by tough local ordinances. These regulations and strict oversight are aimed at protecting treasured natural resources, including the Kalamazoo River.

“We are excited about improvements to our water and wastewater infrastructure, and it’s important to know that groundwater quality at the city’s well field has been stable and safe for decades,” said Marguerite Davenport, Director of Public Services for the city of Marshall.

Marshall’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) uses greensand media filtration to remove iron and manganese in the groundwater to control unpleasant taste and odor aesthetics that may be caused by these naturally occurring minerals.

The quality of groundwater supplied by the city well field is monitored in strict accordance with a sampling and monitoring program developed and overseen by EGLE’s Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division. The program monitors treated drinking water produced by the treatment plant and water quality within the city’s water distribution system. The city’s water supply meets all primary drinking water quality standards defined by Michigan’s Safe Drinking Water Act.

The city of Marshall also is working to update and enhance its Wellhead Protection Program, which involves activities and management practices developed specifically to protect public groundwater supplies from contamination and will help to ensure a safe and reliable source of drinking water for city of Marshall residents.

“We are confident that the ongoing construction at the BlueOval Battery Park meets or exceeds the highest standards for environmental stewardship,” Davenport said. “We will continue to invest in water infrastructure improvements that will benefit the health of our community and protect our lakes, rivers and streams for future generations.”