Water

The Water Treatment Plant is a lime softening plant with a design capacity of 30 million gallons per day. It is in full operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. State-certified plant operators ensure adequate water is maintained in the distribution system and test many water quality parameters.

The plant is responsible for maintaining the City’s six water towers and six booster stations. The City’s water supply consists of 20 public water supply groundwater wells along the Big Blue River.

Water distribution and meter staff also maintains more than 280 miles of water mains, valves, pressure-reducing valves, fire hydrants, and water meters.

Water Process

Drinking Water Quality

Environmental compliance staff work directly with Water Treatment Plant staff to ensure the City’s drinking water supply meets and exceeds all state and federal drinking water quality standards set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), and the Clean Water Act.

On average, environmental compliance staff take nearly 100 monthly water quality samples to test for chlorine residuals, bacteria, and disinfection byproducts, with many of these being voluntary monitoring that is above and beyond what is required by state and federal agencies. Staff also performs quarterly sampling of our water supply wells, which is a voluntary monitoring program to ensure adequate protection to the water supply.

Report It!

Water quality and/or pressure concerns could occur, and you should contact the Water Division if any of them happen to you. Report your concern by calling 785-587-4530 during business hours. If you experience an issue after hours, on weekends, or on holidays, call 785-587-4550. These numbers are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Annual Water Quality Reports

The City of Manhattan Public Utilities Department’s Water and Wastewater Divisions are pleased to provide you with the following Consumer Confidence Reports (also known as Water Quality Reports).

The report for each calendar year contains the results of the compliance water quality monitoring data that were collected mostly between January 1 and December 31 of that year. The report is usually released in April of the following year.

Annual Water Quality Reports

  1. CY 2024 Water Quality Report (PDF)
  2. CY 2023 Water Quality Report (PDF)
  3. CY 2022 Water Quality Report (PDF)
  4. CY 2021 Water Quality Report (PDF)
  5. CY 2020 Water Quality Report (PDF)