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Water Quality
Report
231-724-4106 | mkgcity.com/water
WATER Annual Drinking Quality Report
CI TY O F M U S K EG O N
QUALITY WAT ER S U P P LY S ER IAL N U M B ER 04570
This report covers the drinking water quality for the City of
EXCEEDS Muskegon for the 2024 calendar year. It provides information about
where our water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares
THE MARK
to the standards set by the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) and the State of Michigan.
Your water is sourced from Lake Michigan and treated at the City of
Muskegon Water Filtration Plant. The personnel at the Muskegon Water
We are pleased to Filtration Plant are dedicated to providing a safe and reliable water
report that the water supply. A team of state-certified waterworks operators works around
the clock to oversee water treatment and distribution processes.
we treat, at the City
of Muskegon Water In 2024, more than 100,000 water samples were analyzed for
various chemical, physical, and microbiological parameters.
Filtration Plant, has The State of Michigan and the USEPA require regular testing to
ensure water safety, and we are pleased to report that we met all
never had a violation monitoring and reporting requirements for the year.
of a contaminant level
or of any other water
quality standard. Informed customers help ensure safe drinking water.
For more information, you can:
Contact the Water Filtration Plan
231-724-4106 or visit mkgcity.com/water
Visit the U.S. EPA
epa.gov/safewater
Public Participation/Input
City of Muskegon Commission Meetings
2nd and 4th Tuesday | 5:30 p.m.
City Commission Chambers (Room 107 at 933 Terrace Street)
The Muskegon
Water Filtration
Plant treated over
3.5 billion gallons of
water in 2024!
City of Muskegon
WATER Q UAL ITY REP ORT 2 0 2 3
Source Water
I N F O R MAT I O N
Our water comes from surface water in Lake Michigan. In 2004, the State
of Michigan assessed our source water to determine its susceptibility to
contamination. This susceptibility is rated on a seven-tier scale, from very
low to very high, based on factors like geologic sensitivity, water chemistry,
and contaminant sources. The susceptibility of our source is rated as
moderately high.
The assessment notes:
“Historically, the City of Muskegon Water Filtration Plant has effectively
treated this source water to meet drinking water standards.”
The City of Muskegon’s Source Water Intake Protection Plan (SWIPP) was
created in 2017 and updated in 2023. The SWIPP aims to protect the long-
term viability of Muskegon’s drinking water supply by reducing the risk of
surface and subsurface contamination in the source water protection area.
The SWIPP is available online at the Water Filtration Plant webpage. For
more information about these reports, contact the Water Filtration Plant at
231-724-4106.
Drinking Water WAT E R I N TAK E WAT E R T E M P E RAT U R E
FACTS Water from Lake Michigan enters Lake Michigan’s water temperature
the plant through a 60-inch changes seasonally. At the plant,
T R E AT M E N T P R O CES S diameter pipeline that extends over 1 recorded temperatures have ranged
The Water Filtration Plant uses mile into the lake, pulling water from from 35°F to 76°F over the past
conventional water treatment, a a depth of more than 30 feet. five years, and these changes can
globally recognized method for sometimes be noticeable in the
producing drinking water. This five- F L OW P R O CES S water delivered to consumers.
step process includes disinfection, Water flows continuously from
coagulation, flocculation, the lake, through the treatment
sedimentation, and filtration. process, and into the City.
Depending on the volume treated,
T R E AT M E N T CAPACI TY the journey takes 8-30 hours.
The plant’s treatment capacity is 40 Regardless of time, the water meets
million gallons per day—equivalent all drinking water standards.
to 27,778 gallons per minute or
enough water to fill eight average- WAT E R TOWE RS
sized bathtubs every second! Water towers provide storage and
Seasonal Water Production pressure. Each tower in the City holds
The amount of water treated varies 1 million gallons of water. With each
seasonally, averaging 11 million foot of water height providing 0.43
gallons per day. Over the last five psi, the City’s towers—standing over
City of
years, Muskegon
daily production ranged from 125 feet high—can deliver around 54
a low of 6 million gallons to a high of
WATER Q UAL ITY REP ORT 20 2 of
psi 3 pressure without pumps.
23 million gallons.
Drinking Water
CO N TAM I NAN TS
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 USEPA’s Safe
Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791).
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs,
springs, and wells. Our water comes from Lake Michigan. As water travels over the surface of the land or through
the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up
substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
In order to ensure that tap
CONTAMINANTS THAT MAY BE PRESENT IN SOURCE water is safe to drink, the USEPA
prescribes regulations that limit
WATER INCLUDE: the levels of certain contaminants
in water provided by public
• Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be
water systems. Federal Food and
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may
Drug Administration regulations
come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural
establish limits for contaminants
livestock operations, and wildlife.
in bottled water which provide the
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can same protection for public health.
be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff,
industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas
production, mining, or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of
sources such as agriculture and residential uses.
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be
the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile
organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes
and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations,
urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
The Water Filtration
Plant operates 24
hours a day, seven
days a week!
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants should seek advice about drinking water from their
in drinking water than the general population. Immuno- health care providers. USEPA/Center for Disease Control
compromised persons such as persons with cancer guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk
undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial
City
organoftransplants,
Muskegon people with HIV/AIDS or other contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking
WATER Q UAL ITY REP
immune system disorders, ORT
some 2 0 2and
elderly, 3 infants Water Hotline: 800-426-4791.
can be particularly at risk from infections. These people
Treated Water
Q UAL I TY CHARTS
The tables below lists all the
drinking water contaminants that
we detected in 2024. The presence
of these contaminants in the water
does not necessarily indicate that
the water poses a health risk.
Unless otherwise noted, the data
presented in this table is from
testing done January 1 through
December 31, 2024. The State
allows us to monitor for certain
contaminants less than once per
year because the concentrations
of these contaminants are not
expected to vary significantly
from year to year. All the data is
representative of the water quality,
but some are more than one year
old. Definitions for terms and
abbreviations are available on the
last page.
Regulated at The Treatment Plant
Level
Substance MCL MCLG Range Year Violation Typical Source
Detected
Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge
Barium (ppm) 2 2 .02 N/A 2023 No from metal refineries; Erosion of
natural deposits.
Erosion of natural deposits; Water
additive which promotes strong
Flouride (ppm)* 4.0 4.0 0.68 0.49-0.60 2024 No
teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and
aluminum factories.
Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaking
Nitrate (ppm) 10 10 0.64 0.20-0.64 2024 No from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of
natural deposits.
Firefighting foam; Discharge from
PFOS (ppt)* 16 N/A 2.4 ND-2.6 2024 No electroplating facilities; Discharge and
waste from industrial waste.
Turbidity (ntu)** 1 (TT) N/A 0.05 N/A 2024 No Soil runoff.
City of Muskegon
*The level detected for this substance is reported as the maximum running annual average (RAA) in 2024.
WATER Q UAL ITY REP ORT 2 0 2 3
**Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the
effectiveness of our filtration system. Turbidity must also be ≤0.3 ntu for ≥95% of measurements each month.
100% of the samples were ≤0.3 ntu each month.
Regulated in the Distribution System
MRDL MRDLG
Level
Substance or or Range Year Violation Typical Source
Detected*
MCL MCLG
Water additive
Chlorine (ppm) 4.0 4.0 1.15 0.12-1.83 2024 No used to control
microbes.
Total Byproduct of
Trihalomethanes 80 N/A 37 21-54 2024 No drinking water
(ppb) disinfection.
Byproduct of
Haloacetic Acids
60 N/A 27.1 13.0-41.0 2024 No drinking water
(ppb)
disinfection.
*The level detected for this substance is reported as the maximum running annual average (RAA).
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have
decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The
children of persons who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of
heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.
Regulated at the Customer’s Tap Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant
people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in
drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and
Substance Lead (ppb) Copper (ppm) in home plumbing. City of Muskegon is responsible for providing high quality
drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of
AL 15 1.3 materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary
over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not
MCLG 0 1.3 detect lead at one point in time. You can help protect yourself and your family by
Level Detected* 5 0.0 identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking
steps to reduce your family’s risk. Using a filter, certified by an American National
Range 0-17 0.0-0.2 Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead, is effective in reducing
lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the
Year 2023 2023
filter is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making
Samples Above baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. Before using tap
1 0
AL water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, flush your pipes for several
minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a
Corrosion of load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement
Lead service lines,
household service line, you may need to flush your pipes for at least 5 minutes to flush
Typical Source household plumbing
plumbing systems;
corrosion, & natural water from both your home plumbing and the lead service line. If you are
Erosion of natural
deposit erosion. concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact
deposits.
Department of Public Works at 231-724-4100 for available resources.
*Our water supply has 10,279 lead service lines out of a total of 14,463 service lines. If you
would like to know more about this report, please contact: Department of Public works 1350 Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take
E. Keating Ave. at 231-724-4100 or visit our webpage: https://muskegon-mi.gov/city-services/ to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
public-works/water-sewer-services/lead-service-line-replacement/
Level
Additional
Substance Range Year Typical Source
Detected*
Monitoring
Naturally present in the
Calcium (ppm) 36 34-40 2024
environment.
Naturally present in the
Unregulated contaminants Magnesium (ppm) 12 12-13 2024
environment.
are those for which the U.S.
EPA has not established Naturally present in the
Hardness (ppm) 138 130-150 2024
environment.
drinking water standards.
Monitoring helps the U.S. Naturally present in the
Sodium (ppm) 12 10-15 2024
EPA determine where certain environment.
contaminants occur and Naturally present in the
whether regulation of those Sulfate (ppm) 31 27-39 2024
environment.
City of Muskegon
contaminants is needed.
WATER Q UAL ITY REP ORT 2 0 2 3Haloacetic Acids 34 27-46 2020
Byproduct of drinking
(HAA9) (ppb) water disinfection.
Terms Maximum Residual
Disinfectant Level Goal
& ABBREVIATION S ( M R D LG )
The level of a drinking water
disinfectant below which there is no
Action Level (AL ) known or expected risk to health.
The concentration of a contaminant MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits
which, if exceeded, triggers of the use of disinfectants to control
treatment or other requirement that microbial contaminants.
a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant N/A
Not applicable.
Level Goal ( M CLG )
The level of a contaminant in drinking
water below which there is no known ND
or expected risk to health. MCLGs Not detectable at testing limit.
allow for a margin of safety.
ppm
Maximum Contaminant Parts per million or milligrams per liter.
Level ( M CL )
The highest level of a contaminant ppb
that is allowed in drinking water. Parts per billion or micrograms per liter.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs
as feasible using the best available ppt
treatment technology. Parts per trillion or nanograms per liter.
Maximum Residual Treatment Technique (T T)
Disinfectant Level ( M R D L ) Required process intended to reduce the
The highest level of a disinfectant level of a contaminant in drinking water.
allowed in drinking water. There is
convincing evidence that addition of ntu
a disinfectant is necessary for control Nephelometric turbidity units.
of microbial contaminants.
Report Updates
& AVAIL ABIL ITY
We will update this report annually and will keep you informed of any
problems that may occur throughout the year as they happen. This report will
not be sent to you.
Copies are available at Muskegon City Hall (933 Terrace St), the City of
Muskegon Public Service Building (1350 East Keating Ave), and online at
mkgcity.com/waterquality.
City of Muskegon
WATER Q UAL ITY REP ORT 2 0 2 3
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