Water Treatment Plant

Kennett's water supply is taken from four ground water wells that extend 100 to 130 feet below the surface. The water produced by these wells is of naturally high quality and free from harmful levels of chemicals and bacteria. However, it does contain levels of iron and dissolved calcium, which makes treatment of the water necessary to remove excess levels of these substances.

The ability to supply a safe, adequate source of water is vital to any community, large or small, and many towns have treatment plants for this purpose. Trained operators are necessary in order to control the treatment process, do quality assurance testing, as well as operate and maintain the equipment needed to perform water treatment.

Water Treatment Plant Operators are licensed by the State of Missouri upon completion of training and testing.

Check out our 2012 Annual Water Quality Report

Check out our 2011 Annual Water Quality Report

Tours Available

Barry Jarred, Water Treatment Plant Superintendent, offers free tours to schools, scout troops, and community organizations. Contact our office at 573-888-5366 to set up your tour up today.

Drinking Water Watch

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources offers a website to review drinking water sample results and violations. For more information please visit the website link below.

Taste, Odor & Color Problems

If your water doesn't come out of the tap good-tasting and clean, there is usually something you can do about it at home. While most common home water quality concerns do not pose a health risk, you still want your water to taste, look and smell good. Use the information below to learn about which water quality concerns are safety risks, and which ones you can easily treat to improve your water's taste, color and odor. If you don't see your water quality concern listed here, please call CLGW at 888-5366 for advice.

Yellow, orange, or reddish brown

This problem is sometimes seen first thing in the morning, or after periods of lower water use. It is also seen at seldom-used faucets. The water should clear after flushing the faucet briefly. The cause is most likely galvanized iron plumbing in the building. It does not indicate that the plumbing is about to fail or that it needs to be replaced, unless there is also a noticeable reduction in water pressure. If this is only occurring with hot water, flushing the hot water tank may help by clearing out the sediment in the bottom of the tank.

Hot water increases the rate of corrosion in plumbing. You may want to consult a plumber for safety precautions. If the discoloration is sudden, there may be some activity that has disturbed the direction or rate of flow in the water main, such as use of a fire hydrant or a water main valve in your vicinity. This should clear on its own. Try running the water for a few minutes to see if it is clearing or still discolored. If the water does not clear, let the water sit for an hour. Then run the water for a few minutes and flush the toilet a couple of times.

Brown or Black Muddy Water

If this happens suddenly it is usually due to some activity involving the use of a fire hydrant. These will usually clear up without further action when the water settles in the main. If it doesn’t clear after a few minutes of flushing (flush cold water taps only), shut off the faucet and wait an hour before flushing the faucets and the toilets again.

If the water doesn’t clear up after an hour, contact CLGW. Avoid running hot water if the cold water is still discolored. This will minimize filling the hot water tank with turbid water. If you are washing clothes at the time, it is better to stop the cycle while it is full and wait until clean water is available to finish. If you allow the water to empty from the washing machine and go into the spin cycle it is more likely to cause permanent staining to the laundry items.

Uncolored cloudy water

Cloudy water is usually caused by tiny air bubbles in the water similar to gas bubbles in carbonated beverages. Usually, this cloudiness occurs in the winter, when the drinking water is cold. Cloudiness can also be the result of fine silt that is stirred up from operations of hydrants or flow reversals. If you notice cloudy water, fill a clean, clear glass with water from the cold tap and let it sit on the counter. If the water starts to clear at the bottom of the glass first, it is caused by air in the lines. This is probably due to air bubbles -- either from dissolved oxygen being released or trapped air in the plumbing. In our region, it would most likely be from air trapped in the plumbing.

If you are also noticing sputtering from the faucet -- and have had recent plumbing work -- it is probably the air trapped when the water refilled the empty plumbing. This should clear as the water is used. If others in the neighborhood have a similar problem, especially where CLGW has been working on the main, the problem may be the result of air trapped in a water main or from fine silt which has been stirred up. If it is silt, it should settle out with time, as mentioned in the “Brown or Black Muddy Water” section. However, if the problem appears to be from air trapped in the main, please contact CLGW.

Foaming/cloudy water

Foaming water, especially from kitchen sinks, can be caused by dish detergent being splashed on the faucet. If your water is foaming, shake up a glass of water to form a layer of bubbles. Does the layer last when you stop shaking? Does it smell like soap? Is this coming from more than one tap? If only one tap is affected (usually the kitchen faucet with an aerator), dish washing detergent may have been splashed onto the faucet. This can be rinsed off and the problem should clear up.

If this problem occurs at all of your faucets, call CLGW. Save some of the water to show to the inspector, and refrain from drinking or cooking with the water until it is checked out.