Marana residents who live in the affected residential areas have been asking the Council to treat the tap water ever since news broke last month of two types of contaminants exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory levels.
These compounds have been found in water sources all over the country, including elsewhere in the Tucson Metro Region.
For example, the EPA’s health advisory level for 1, 4 Dioxane is 0.35 parts per billion, but Alaska set their standard at 77 parts per billion and New Hampshire’s is 0.25.
As far as a funding source, he suggested that an additional sales tax might be an option.
The contamination levels in a number of the wells has dropped since the town began testing the water in late 2016, though a few have slightly increased.
Marana Water looked at other options besides treating the water, but advised against them.
One of those options is “water blending,” which happens when a contaminated system is connected with a clean system.
The Northwest Recharge, Recover, and Delivery System is another project in the works, to be constructed in 2023.
Kmiec said because of these challenges, this option “quickly fell off the radar.” Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta said the town staff will put together a proposal on how and when to build the treatment centers, which should be ready to present to council sometime in late-September to early-October.
Mayor Ed Honea said the council wants to see the treatment facilities happen as quickly as possible.