Today is a great day to do business in Moorhead
“Water: So plentiful, so taken for granted,” said Kris Knutson, Moorhead Public Service Water Division Manager at the weekly Moorhead Business Association breakfast.
Indeed, he’s right that for many of us, water is taken for granted. Clean drinking water is always within our reach. However, we tend to forget that is not the case for everyone. Large parts of our world survive with insufficient drinking water.
Not only does the MPS Water Division provide drinking water to our residents from groundwater and surface water sources, but also supplies Dilworth with their water needs. Approximately 80 percent of Moorhead’s water is supplied from the Red River. The remaining requirement is pumped from seven wells ranging in depth from 114 to 273 feet.
The MPS Water Division is committed to protecting the city’s public health. Knutson and his team are constantly monitoring and assessing the methods for treating water to ensure its quality. Around-the-clock, the trained and experienced staff operates the Moorhead’s water treatment plant. To validate this dedication, Moorhead was voted having the best tasting water in the state of Minnesota in 2009 and 2010.
On a regular basis, Moorhead’s water is checked by the Minnesota Department of Health for the presence of more than 130 different substances, including lead, copper, and chlorinated by-products. In addition, Moorhead’s water treatment plant performs approximately 300 laboratory tests to ensure the quality and safety of our drinking water.
Since 1986, Moorhead’s water system has undergone more than $20 million in improvements, including the completion of a state-of-the-art water treatment plant in 1995. However, MPS faces the challenges associated with an aging water distribution system of 215 miles. The average useful life of a water distribution main is between 50 and 120 miles, based on the type of pipe material. Our water infrastructure is near or beyond its life span. MPS staff recommends a replacement goal rate of 1 percent of the distribution system, or approximately 2 miles of pipe, to be replaced per year. The budgetary requirement for this 1 percent replacement is approximately $1.2 to $1.6 million dollars per year.
Therefore, the next time you pour a glass of water from the tap, take a moment to honor the commitment and significant investment made to ensure the quality of your Moorhead water.