GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Township, the Kent County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation say they have figured out why the taste of water has been changing along a township road.
Residents along Dunnigan Avenue have dealing with fluctuations in the levels of chloride in the groundwater over the past two years. The chloride is not a health hazard, according to officials, but it can have an affect on the water’s taste.
The Knapp’s Corner Drain District, comprised of the four jurisdictions, says that they determined that run-off from salt and other deicing agents used in parking lots and streets have been ending up in a pond that serves 150 acres of the Knapp’s Corner and Crossing areas. That water has entered the local aquifer.
Officials say to fix the problem, they’ll be looking to extend the water main from Knapp Street north to 500 feet south of Mason Ridge Court. Then, they’ll need a new water main on Dunnigan Avenue NE to serve homeowners and create a long-term drainage solution.
