City Water Supply Called Adequate For Many Years

Ann Arbor will eventually be forced to go to Detroit for its entire water supply - but this is not expected before the year 2000. Utilities Department S u p t. Wayne, H. Abbott Jr. said the next expansión of the water plant should carry the city into the next century. The latest expansión, which is now receiving its finishing touches, could provide enough water to last the city through 1980 or 1985. "Sometime bétween 1980 and 1985 the plant will reach its maximum," Abbott said, "and the next expansión should carry us through to the year 2000. At that point is when I feel we would be committed to Detroit." He said this switch to Detroit supplied water could come earlier if Detroit's rate system # - n - o is changed. Now the r a t e charges to other cities are based on distance and elevation, Abbott explained. If Detroit gets to the point it supplies water based purely on amounts used, that is the time the city should consider changing, Abbott said, stating it would be cheaper. Detroit is continually expanding its water service and now reaches as far away as Flint. The next major city to go to Detroit water could well be Lansing. Ann Arbor is currently serviced by ground wells at two locations - the Montgomery and Steere Farm wells - and the Huron River. Abbott says about 73 per cent of water now comes from the river. "The plant is set up to deliver 40 million gallons per day (mgd) from the river," Abbott said. Current average use is 14 mgd mith a maximum of more than 23 mgd. For the year, the city pumped 3.5 billion gallons from the river and about 1.2 billion from its two ground wells. The total of 4.7 billion gallons for fiscal 1966-67 compares to the 3.5 billion gallons pumped in fiscal 1962-63. "Water use is increasing at a faster rate than our population," Abbott said. The current expansión of the plant was based on population figures for the year 1985 but since water use is increasing at a more rapid pace than the population, the expansión may not last through that target year. The current expansión is costing the city about $3.5 million. Abbott believes the next expansión can be made for considerably less, perhaps $700,000. Ann Arbor must guarantee a certain flow in the Huron River past its plant. Abbott said about the most the city could pump from the river during the dry season - and still maintain this minimum flow - would be 40 million gallons. Ann Arbor 's future in the water business depends to a large extent on whether the Huron River is impounded upstream. Such an impoundment would increase the availability of river water. Demands for water in the future are now hard to estímate, Abbott said, depending to a great deal on how far the city's borders are extended. Any figures given now are just "guesstimates," Abbott said.