As students adjust to campus life this fall, the safety of MSU’s water can be a concern. Recently, a water quality report confirmed that MSU water is safe, despite student concerns.
“The toilets and showers are always stained red and yellow from the rust and iron,” social relations and policy junior Katelyn Phillips said. “I have a Brita water bottle and when I fill it up from my sink I can still taste the iron.”
International relations sophomore Sara Hogue said she had similar issues with the water.
“The water quality is pretty bad,” she said. “I had to purchase a shower filter in order to shower in clean water.”
Phillips said she also recently began using a shower filter. Both students live in Case Hall.
“For the first time after a shower at MSU, it didn’t feel like I was still in some kind of grime after I got out,” she said.
The 2015 Water Quality Report, released by MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, or IPF, in June, acknowledges that, “in the wake of the water crisis in Flint, it is understandable that the MSU community is concerned about its water quality,” though “there is no detectable lead in MSU drinking water when it enters the distribution system.”
Despite the concerns with the smell and taste of the water, according to the IPF 2015 Water Quality Report, “our drinking water meets or surpasses all federal and state regulatory requirements.”
IPF takes a proactive approach to keeping campus drinking water safe, water systems engineer Mike Tracy said.
“One of the very important things that we can do to keep our water safe and protected is to prevent potential contamination from contaminant sources before they get to the wells,” he said.
MSU developed a Wellhead Protection Program, which was put into use in 2006 and revised in 2014.
“It’s a very comprehensive program,” Tracy said. “We at IPF MSU are very proud of it.”
IPF has had great success with the Wellhead Protection Program.
In 2001, MSU was named a Groundwater Guardian by the Groundwater Foundation in recognition of its groundwater protection work. In 2015, MSU received the Exemplary Wellhead Protection Program Award from the American Water Works Association.
Although MSU’s drinking water has won awards, students living on campus will likely continue to use filters and other devices until the water looks as safe as data says it is.
