The water utility is municipally owned and operated as a division of the Utilities Department.  The City has one water production plant that treats and distributes water to residents and businesses in Gardner.  On average, the City of Gardner treats 1.8 million gallons of water per day, supplying safe drinking water to approximately 17,000 people throughout the Gardner area.  The City meets or exceeds all federal and state standards for water quality.  Staff is committed to providing Gardner citizens with safe, great tasting water at economical prices.  If you have questions about the quality of Gardner water, please call 913-856-0980.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) sets regulations for the amount of allowable contaminants in the drinking water.  This procedure includes technical and scientific assessment of minimum amounts of contaminant occurrences on human health exposure, health effects, and toxicology, using analytical methods, monitoring, treatment and cost.

The outcome of the regulatory process is enforceable limits, called maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), which specify the concentration of a contaminant that is considered as "No Adverse Health Impact" or a treatment technique.  The contaminant concentration, as well as period of exposure, identifies the MCL.  Thus, a regulatory violation of one contaminant may be a series of daily tests while some might be an average of several quarterly samples.  The water quality leaving the water treatment facility must meet all the regulations of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the USEPA.  Gardner water has not been out of compliance of these regulations, and continues to consistently exceed the requirements of the state regulations.  Water treatment and line maintenance staff work together to test the water on daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly sampling schedules.

Disinfecting and Treating Drinking Water
Naturally, water carries microbes that cause disease.  To prevent disease, Gardner disinfects the water with chlorine.  Also, ammonia is added with chlorination to form chloramines, so that the disinfection does not end at the plant itself, but continues in the distribution system as well.  The water is also ph and alkalinity controlled to reduce the corrosion of plumbing and levels of lead and copper in standing tap water.

 

A Message from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immu-compromised persons, such as people undergoing chemotherapy, people who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections.  These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 800-426-4791.  Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.  The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.  More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Water Hotline.  Sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells.  As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals (in some cases radioactive material) and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.