Battle Creek Issues Drinking Water Advisory After High Manganese Levels Detected

UPDATE: Battle Creek's Drinking Water Advisory has been lifted

The city of Battle Creek is answered questions about the city's drinking water quality Thursday afternoon after several tests showed elevated levels of manganese. The advisory is for infants under 12 months of age.

City Manager Rebecca Fleury noted in a 3PM press conference that the high manganese sample was taken at a fire hydrant site in Springfield. Additional testing showed elevated manganese at sample sites in Springfield and Battle Creek while there was not a high level of manganese at the Verona plant.

Battle Creek and Springfield share a water facility in Verona which provides service to those cities as well as the townships of Bedford, Pennfield and Emmett. The city's Department of Public Works staff believes the flushing of hydrants is responsible for the elevated levels of the element.

Because of the drinking water advisory, bottled water is available for families with infants under 12 months of age. One case is available every 24 hours.

The city stresses that boiling water is not a solution to this type of problem, in fact, it could make it worse. So do not boil water as a remedy.

Pick up locations are at the following:

• Battle Creek City Hall, 10 N. Division St. – 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
• Battle Creek Department of Public Works, 150 S. Kendall St. – 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday
• Battle Creek Police Department, 20 N. Division St. – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. seven days per week

8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week at city fire stations 1-6:

• Fire Station 1, 195 E. Michigan Ave.
• Fire Station 2, 145 N. Washington Ave.
• Fire Station 3, 222 Cliff St.
• Fire Station 4, 8 S. 20th St.
• Fire Station 5, 1170 W. Michigan Ave.
• Fire Station 6, 2401 Capital Ave. SW

The water will be available until the advisory is lifted. The city is working with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on the water issues.

City Manager Rebecca Fleury joined Tim Collins on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show Friday to discuss any updates and information related to the Drinking Water Advisory.