By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s annual water quality report landed in Sitkans’ mailboxes earlier this month, and Environmental Superintendent Shilo Williams says it bears good news.
“We’re one of the few communities in the United States who have as pure a drinking water source as we do,” Williams said. “We’re very lucky for that.”
Sitka’s drinking water comes from Blue Lake, which is classified as ground water. In tests for a gamut of contaminants — including coliform bacteria, nitrate, and barium — no contaminants were found in quantities exceeding the maximum level in federal standards. Coliform bacteria and nitrate were not detected in the tests.
“We test for many constituents and very few are found in our drinking water,” Williams said.
Sitka’s municipal water is some of the purist in the country according to a recent report mailed to residents. (Sentinel photo)
The report also says there have been periods of turbidity higher than normal. Turbidity — clarity of the water — has no health effects on its own, but can “interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth,” the report says.
Turbidity in Blue Lake has been caused mostly by silt and other inorganic material due to extreme weather events and the thawing of a glacial lake,
“...the turbidity is caused by glacial silt that is remaining suspended in the lake for an extended period of time,” the report says. “These events have been classified as unusual and unpredictable.”
Williams said that the city hopes Sitkans continue to enjoy recreating on and around Blue Lake.
“We encourage our community to enjoy Blue Lake, but we just ask that you help us preserve and protect our water source,” she said. “Pack out what you pack in and pick up any trash and pet waste near the shoreline. We want to make sure that everyone leaves no trace.”
Williams, who is in charge of wastewater as well as drinking water, said the annual report to all households is an opportunity to provide important reminders about other water issues.
This includes reminders of what Sitkans should not be flushing down their drains and toilets. On top of that list are “disposal” wipes, that, no matter what the labeling says, should not end up in the sewage system where they clog pipes.
“Wipes plague wastewater systems across the country,” Williams said, “They’re so readily available and there are so many types of wipes.”
And Williams doesn’t think the COVID-19 pandemic has helped.
“With COVID, people were sanitizing at a much higher frequency and so that probably attributed to an excess of wipes in the sewage system,” she said.
