Elk Mound: DNR inspection includes 3 deficiencies and 5 recommendations

By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND  —  The good news is that Elk Mound had zero “significant deficiencies” as a result of a state Department of Natural Resources sanitary inspection of the village’s water system.

The not-quite-as-good news is that the DNR inspector found three deficiencies and made five recommendations.

Mark Levra, director of public works, reported on the results of the sanitary inspection at the Elk Mound Village Board’s November 4 meeting.

The three deficiencies listed by the DNR involve a cross connection report, an ordinance related to private wells, and fluoride and chlorine storage, Levra said.

The DNR requires that all industrial, commercial, institutional and residential plumbing systems be inspected to make sure that a cross connection does not exist. Backflow protection devices must be installed where cross connections do exist.

A cross connection occurs when a part of the water system would allow contaminated water to be pulled back into the water supply. Some examples that could create a cross connection include laundry hoses, hoses in restaurant kitchens and garden hoses. Changes in pressure within the water system could cause contaminated water to be sucked back into the water supply through the open end of the hose.

Many municipalities in the area, including Elk Mound, have been working on completing the cross connection inspections.

The deficiency for Elk Mound is that a report on the cross connection inspections had not yet been submitted to the DNR, Levra said, adding that he had completed and submitted the report the day of the village board meeting.

Well ordinance

Another deficiency identified by the DNR inspector related to a private well ordinance, Levra said.

Levra did not elaborate on any specific issues involving the village’s private well ordinance.

Elk Mound’s ordinance 9-1-2 covers abandoning private wells in the village and also includes a provision that allows village residents to apply for a permit to keep a private well.

Chemicals

The one “non-conforming deficiency” identified by the DNR relates to the storage of fluoride and chlorine, Levra said.

When the village is ready to build a new well house, then the well house should have two separate rooms for the fluoride and chlorine so they can be stored separately, he said.

The well house does have a partition between the fluoride and chlorine storage areas but not a separate room, Levra said.

The reason the two chemicals should be stored separately is so that no mixing of “off gas” from the chemicals occurs, he said.

Mixing fluoride and chlorine gas is “a half a breath to death,” Levra noted.

Recommendations

The DNR inspector also made a number of recommendations for Elk Mound, Levra said.

One recommendation focused on water sources “not adequately protected.”

The well house doors have glass windows, which means the structure is not as secure as it could be. Someone could break the glass in the door and gain entry to the well house, Levra said.

Another recommendation is that the discharge pipes should be painted, he said.

The pipes have been painted, but the conditions in which the pipes are located result in the paint not lasting very long, Levra said.

The DNR inspector also said Elk Mound should have fewer dead ends on the water mains, he said, noting that reducing the number of dead ends is a project that will take years.

In addition, the iron filter should be checked, too, Levra said.

The last recommendation is that Elk Mound should reduce the amount of water lost from the system, Levra said.

Elk Mound’s water loss is 12 percent of the gallons pumped, he said.

A loss of 12 percent is typically considered to be excellent, but the DNR inspector would like to see Elk Mound’s water loss at 10 percent, Levra said.

The DNR is requiring that Elk Mound have a written plan for corrective action for the deficiencies and recommendations by December 18, he said.

Levra said he would write the plan and have it ready for the next Elk Mound Village Board meeting on November 18.

Other business 

In other business, the Elk Mound Village Board:

• Approved the annual mobile home license agreement for the trailer park in Elk Mound. The licensing agreements requires a fee of $64; the mobile home court has 32 lots, said Pat Hahn, village clerk-treasurer.

• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Paige Fransway, contingent upon Fransway passing a background check conducted by the Elk Mound police department.

• Agreed that Hahn should send a copy of the letter from the village’s attorney, the late John Higley, regarding the Barum Lutheran Cemetery, to the Elk Mound Town Board. At one time, the cemetery was jointly owned by the village and the Town of Elk Mound, said Andy Peterson, village president. In 2008, the village opted out of part ownership when an expansion plan would have added 1.5 acres, he said. The Town of Elk Mound spent $7,500 for 1.5 acres and is now asking the village to pay half the amount, Peterson said.

• Approved switching the village’s municipal property insurance to Spectrum Insurance, which already provides liability and auto insurance for Elk Mound. The village’s property was originally covered by the state’s local government property insurance fund, but the premium increased from about $5,200 to $7,614, Hahn said. The new annual insurance premium will be $5,548, she said.