They meet the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the meeting room at Chikaming Township Center at 13535 Red Arrow Highway, Harbert, Michigan.

Protect against winter water woes

One of things that the Water Department really does not like to do is call one of our customers and tell them that they have a leak and that their water bill is going to be several hundred dollars. Unfortunately, this happens every winter. If you are not going to be here during the cold winter months, you need to heat your home and have someone check it on a regular basis or have the water turned off and winterize the plumbing. Winter brings freezing storms that cause power outages which can result in pipes freezing and bursting. If the weather is so bad that our meter readers can't get out and we estimate your bill for those two months, we will not detect that leak until two months after that! This could result in major damage to your home and a very costly water bill. Just because your water is "turned off" doesn't' mean that you don't get a minimum billing.

"On-line" bill paying - MAKE SURE THEY ARE SENDING IT TO P.O. BOX 40 IN HARBERT

Some of our water and sewer customers have started to use the computer to pay their utility bills. This can be a great way of doing your bookkeeping, but it can also become a nightmare. When entering the payee address, make sure that you use P.O. Box 40, Harbert, MI 49115. If sent to our street address, most times it is returned to the bank after bouncing around the Postal System and by then…you're delinquent. Please save all involved a lot of time and heartache and verify that you are sending your payment to the right address. Thank you.

Don't tamper with the meter pits

The water meters and meter pits are the property of Chikaming Township. Section 5 of Ordinance No. 71 states, "..it shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to tamper with, disturb, adjust, turn off, turn on, remove, disassemble, destroy or damage any water shut off valve, water meter or any other appurtenance of said water system. Any person found in violation of the section of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 and/or imprisonment in the county jail for 90 days, or both."

The most common offense is someone other than an authorized Township employee turning the water on and off at the meter pit. This can lead to problems later on, and if the meter breaks, the property owner could be charged not only the $100 fine, but for the cost of the meter. It is illegal for your plumber to turn the water on and off at the meter pit and the property owner will be held liable. Another problem that has arisen recently is contractors running over meter pits and causing damage. Since the contractor is hired by the property owner, the property owner is liable for the damage.

To have your water turned on or off by the Township there is a $10.00 fee. Our meter readers will make note of all improper turning on or off of the water at the meter pits.

Don't put storm water in the sewers

As noted in Ordinance No. 34 ONLY toilets, sinks, indoor showers, clothes washers, dish washers and garbage disposals may be plumbed into the sanitary sewer. Sump pumps, eave down spouts, footing and floor drains MUST NOT be connected to the sewer system. The Ordinance further stipulates that penalties may be assessed for these "illegal" connections together with the requirement to reroute plumbing to dispose of rain and seepage water elsewhere.

Why am I getting a water and sewer bill when I haven't been there all winter?

The minimum monthly rates are the system's Ready to Serve Charge and you are billed every two months whether you use the utilities or not. Chikaming Township's water and sewer systems must be maintained daily so that it is ready to serve you when you need it. Please don't compare your charge here to your charge in the city. It's like comparing apples to watermelons. The water and sewer systems cost "X" to run and maintain. This cost is divided up amongst the number of units served by the systems. In the city you have many more units so the cost is less. It's the economy of numbers.

This notice is being sent per Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requirements rule 325.10403(2)(a).

We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants. We collected seven samples to test for the presence of coliform bacteria on November 12, 2007 and November 14, 2007. Three of those samples showed the presence of coliform bacteria. The DEQ standard is violated when more than one sample per month is positive for coliform bacteria. This incident was not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than were allowed by DEQ standards and this may have been a warning of potential problems.

Coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the system’s treatment or distribution system (pipes). Whenever coliform bacteria is detected, follow up testing is completed to determine if other bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present.

After notification of the second positive sample, the system was flushed and chlorine residuals were checked to be sure residuals were adequate. Additional sampling on November 15, 2007 showed no presence of coliform bacteria. Further testing shows that the problem has been resolved. The sample may have been contaminated by the environment near the sampling station or possibly the container. We will continue to monitor the distribution system to ensure your water is safe.

What should you do?

You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may at increased risk. This group of people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly. This notice is also posted on the township web site: www.chikamingtownship.org.

This notice is being sent to you by the Chikaming Township Water Department. If you would like more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Julie Schroeder, Utility Coordinator at the Chikaming Township Office – (269) 469-1676.