According to a post from Marion Mayor D'Anna Browning, recent heavy rains carried a lot of fertilizer from local farmland into Lake George and Old City Lake, which are the city's raw water supply. That fertilizer is made up of various components including chicken manure.
Browning said the Marion water plant operator told her the ammonia level in the lakes reached 2.47 parts per million. The maximum level allowed is 2.50 ppm. One water official said it was the highest ammonia level he had seen in 20 years at the facility.
As a result, the water plant was not able to keep chlorine levels up. Out of an abundance of caution, the Kentucky Division of Water requested the Boil Water Alert.
According to water plant employees, warmer temperatures and less rain will help to keep the problem from recurring.
On the Net:
Facebook post by Mayor Browning
