SIDNEY — A presentation of the 2016 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) revealed no violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act standards at Monday evening’s Sidney City Council meeting.

Sidney Water Plant Assistant Superintendent Jason Smith presented council with the CCR that ensures safe drinking water. He said the report is like a report card for consumers that replaced Sidney’s annual water report.

He said Sidney performed all of the required analytic tests on the drinking water and all of the contaminants required to be monitored showed no violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act standards, which was federally enacted in 1998.

Smith said the report contains information on the city’s water source, treatment and treatment programs, water plant staffing, definitions of terms, as well as conservation tips and city contact information.

Questions about lead and copper testing prompted a brief discussion on the matter. This topic is especially of interest due common knowledge of the 2014 water crisis of the lead seepage in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water.

Council member Darryl Thurber asked if the annual copper and lead tests will be conducted after the new well water source begins to be distributed later this year. Smith told Thurber Sidney is still a couple of months away from utilizing the new water source, but at that time there will be a blending period, opposed to shutting one source off and turning the other on. He said they intend to blend the water and make treatment adjustments on a “slow scale,” hopefully beginning in June.

Council member Joe Ratermann asked for confirmation of the scheduled lead and copper testing of the 30 homes sampled. Smith said currently they test 30 homes every three years. Mayor Mike Barhorst elaborated that the three-year time frame was established because nothing was detected in the samples. Smith said due to the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, there are extensive rule changes coming soon from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

City Manager Mark Cundiff asked for clarification about what had happened in Flint, Michigan, and for reassurance that Sidney doesn’t have those same issues.

Sidney Utilites Director Larry Broughton explained Flint, Michigan took cost saving measures and distributed water from a closer source that was more corrosive than their original source. He said the disinfectant used to treat the water caused corrosion of pipes, causing lead to seep into the drinking water. He agreed Sidney does not have this type of an issue. Unfortunately however, Broughton said water was not contained in Flint, Michigan, and is now an issue for Ohio, and the U.S and Ohio EPA is actively involved and many changes are coming this year to keep the drinking water stable.

Barhorst also asked about arsenic levels in water. Broughton said arsenic is a natural element that is at least minimally found in all water wells. He said arsenic bonds to iron and that older wells containing a metal casing and screen will likely have greater levels of arsenic than those without a steel casing. However, Broughton reassured Barhorst not to be overly concerned.

Smith said the CCR must be delivered to residents by July 1 and will also be posted on the city’s website at www.sidneyoh.com. He said the city’s website also contains a flood action plan and monitors flood levels and projections, and additional news and information about Sidney. Also Smith said there will be a public meeting on the CCR at the Water Treatment Plant on July 18, at 3 p.m.

Wastewater Superintendent Barry Zerkle also led a discussion on the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) surcharge rates. He told council surcharge rates are recalculated every other year, and 2017 is the year for reevaluation of “excessive loadings” from industrial users. Excessive loads are city sanitary sewer system wastes that exceeds normal domestic waste standards; these industry customers pay an additional surcharge to cover the costs of handling the higher wastes.

The current surcharge for total suspended solids (TSS) is $0.319 per pound of TSS and chemical oxygen demand (COD) is $0.119 per pound of COD. The current TSS unit cost formula is the previous two year annual cost average times 30 percent divided by the previous five year TSS loading at the WWTP. The current COD unit cost formula is the previous two year annual cost average times 32.2 percent divided by the previous five year COD loading at the WWTP.

The rates for years 2017-2019 for TSS/lb will increase to $0.60 and for COD/lb will increase to $0.214. These rate increases reflects large plant changes and what is spent. He was directed to bring back to council an ordinance for a first reading of the new rates.

City Manager Mark Cundiff also gave a review of the upcoming Zoning Board/Planning Commission Agenda for Monday, April 17, 2017, and a review the prospective City Council Agenda items for the next 30 days.

In addition, council also went into an executive session for the appointment of public officials. No action was taken when they emerged from the session.