HUMBOLDT Humboldts on-again, off-again water issues continued through the weekend, with the city once again suspending operations at its water treatment plant Saturday because of evidence of contamination within the Neosho River.
The suspension was lifted and the water plant reopened Sunday afternoon, when subsequent testing along the Neosho found no more traces of the contaminants, stemming from a fertilizer plant fire in Iola early Wednesday.
You may resume normal water use without restriction, the city announced in a press release. All water in our towers, distribution and our water plant meets federal standards and is safe for consumption.
The problems began when contaminant-laden water runoff from a New Years Day fire at Mid-West Fertilizer in Iola reached the Neosho and began flowing downstream.
Humboldt officials took the pre-emptive step of shutting down its water plant, instead relying on water stored in its two towers to provide treated water to the city.
The shutdown lasted about 24 hours, until about noon Friday, when early testing found pockets of contaminants in the river, but not near Humboldt.
That changed by mid-day Saturday, when the city shut down the plant a second time, until operations resumed Sunday afternoon.
The city benefited from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the John Redmond Reservoir and feeds the Neosho. By opening the reservoirs floodgates to increase the rivers flow, the pockets of contamination soon dissipated and flowed farther downstream.
As the contaminated water flowed farther south, Chanute officials took notice, shutting down its water treatment plant Saturday as well. The Chanute plant was reopened Sunday afternoon as well after water tested there also came back free of contaminants.
