Frequently Asked Questions

The City of Battle Creek identified a drinking water standard violation affecting water customers in Battle Creek, Emmett Township, Springfield (which receives Battle Creek water), and specific streets in Pennfield Township are affected. Quarterly testing through December 2025 shows that total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in the water system exceeded the standard of 80 parts per billion (ppb). This average was calculated over the previous 12 months.

No. The city states this is not an immediate health emergency, and customers do not need to boil water or take other corrective actions. The city will notify the public within 24 hours if water becomes unsafe to drink. Long‑term exposure to elevated TTHMs over many years may affect the liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, or increase cancer risk. Vulnerable individuals (infants, older adults, those with compromised immune systems) may consult healthcare providers.

The Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) exceedance is likely due to drilling and aquifer testing new wells at the Verona Well Field, a project that began two years ago, with well drilling starting in August 2024. At the recommendation of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), to keep drinking water safe from bacteria, the city used additional disinfectants which have likely resulted in higher TTHM levels.

A combination of conditions made it easier for TTHMs to form: heavy rainfall, well‑drilling and aquifer testing at the Verona Well Field, and low water use in some areas, which increased natural organic material in the source water and water age in parts of the system. When chlorine (our disinfectant) reacts with natural organics over time, TTHMs can form. This temporary increase in organics associated with the rehabilitation project is the primary contributor identified by the city.

Following state/public‑health guidance, we temporarily increased disinfectant to protect against bacterial risks while construction activities were underway. That protective choice can also increase TTHM formation under certain conditions.

The water systems with TTHM present above the water quality standard are Battle Creek, Springfield, Emmett Township, and Pennfield. Total water services for those systems are as follows:

The City is actively implementing short‑term and long‑term measures to lower TTHM levels, in partnership with consulting engineers and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Current actions include:

System Operations & Treatment Adjustments

• Running a strategic, system‑wide flushing program guided by water‑age modeling.
• Adjusting treatment processes to reduce the conditions that allow TTHMs to form.
• Completing two major rounds of system‑wide hydrant flushing in May and August 2025, with continued targeted flushing to improve circulation.
• Increasing sampling both at the Verona Well Field and throughout the distribution system to monitor conditions more frequently.
• Conducting quarterly operational evaluations to assess system performance and guide improvements.
• Installing permanent water‑flushing devices in key areas to help maintain lower water age and improve circulation.

Wellfield Rehabilitation (Long‑Term Fix)

The City of Battle Creek began notifying water customers of the Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) exceedance in December 2024, when the Department of Public Works Water Division issued a public notice to Emmett Township residents, where the issue first emerged.

In March 2025, following a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) violation that affected Battle Creek, Springfield, and Emmett Township, the city expanded its outreach efforts to ensure broad public awareness. These actions included:

• Mailing letters to impacted residents
• Posting alerts on the city’s website: battlecreekmi.gov
• Sending CivicReady alerts to subscribers of city news and emergency notifications
• Issuing media advisories and participating in news interviews
• Sharing updates across social media platforms
• BCCC Podcast episode on the water system
• Including the information in the bi-weekly Mayor’s Report on WBCK 95.3 FM
• Featuring updates in the monthly report on WIN 98.5 FM, aired the first Monday of each month

The city remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updated information, including quarterly sampling results, until the TTHM exceedance is resolved within the water system.

In the letters mailed in March 2025, we informed water customers that reducing Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels could take up to 18 months. While this represents the higher end of the timeline, we want to be transparent about the process. The timeline accounts for the Running Annual Average (RAA) of TTHM levels, which means that even if future sampling shows results below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 80 parts per billion, it will take sustained improvement over time for the RAA to return to compliance.

To help accelerate this process, the city is actively working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to secure permits for new wells. As of early October, we’ve received seven permits, with five more pending and additional applications in progress. We anticipate having all permits for wells in the north well field soon.

The first pumps were installed the week of September 22, and once the initial five wells are in place, we’ll begin connecting them to the water distribution system. This will reduce the need for additional disinfectant, which is a key factor in lowering TTHM levels. Installation of underground piping, electrical systems, and control components will continue over the coming months, depending on weather and site conditions.

The city remains committed to keeping the community informed and will continue to share updates—including quarterly sampling results—until the TTHM exceedance is fully resolved.

For health-related questions contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Toxicology and Environmental Health hotline at, 800-648-6942, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new wells are drilled to the same depth as the original wells—up to 150 feet—but use a different drilling method. The original wells were constructed using cable tool drilling, which involved breaking up soil and rock while driving the casing down the full length of the well bore. In contrast, the new wells are rotary drilled in two stages:

1. The first stage drills through the upper aquifer and into the Marshall Sandstone formation.
2. In the second stage, a casing is set 10 feet into the Marshall Sandstone, and then drilling continues through the casing and sandstone to match the depth of the original well being replaced.

The higher TTHM results at the Emmett and Battle Creek sites suggest these areas have greater water age, meaning the water has been in the system longer before reaching customers. These locations experience lower water demand and have infrastructure that limits flow, which contributes to older water sitting in the system—an environment where TTHMs are more likely to form.

In contrast, the Springfield site showed smaller increases due to hydraulic control valve adjustments made with the assistance of Springfield DPW staff. These adjustments improved water movement through the area, allowing newer water to flow in and resulting in lower TTHM levels.

To address these disparities and reduce TTHM levels system-wide, the City of Battle Creek is taking several actions:

• Using a water model to assess water age and guide a strategic flushing program
• Adjusting treatment processes to reduce TTHM formation
• Completing system-wide hydrant flushing twice a year, as well as daily targeted hydrant flushing.
• Increasing sampling at Verona Well Field and throughout the system
• Conducting quarterly operational evaluations
• Replacing aging wells at Verona Well Field:
  • Once the first five wells are installed, they will be connected and placed into service (anticipated January 2026)
  • Underground piping, electrical, and controls work will continue through the coming months, depending on weather and site conditions

The city is also working closely with consulting engineers and EGLE to explore additional improvements at the treatment facility and throughout the distribution system.

These efforts are expected to lower TTHM levels and bring the system back into compliance, while also helping to prevent future increases by improving water age and system flow.

No. Hydrant flushing uses system‑side water and does not pass through customers’ meters.

Some NSF‑certified filters can reduce TTHMs. Residents should consult NSF’s contaminant reduction guide for TTHM‑specific filters.

The first link below will explain who the NSF is, the second link provides filtering information. With the filter information, please scroll down to the last article for TTHM information. 

1. https://www.nsf.org/knowledge-library/who-is-nsf-international 
2. https://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/articles/contaminant-reduction-claims-guide

Additional sampling on December 26, 2025 and January 9, 2026 showed downward trends, with most locations below the regulatory threshold. These samples are outside the formal compliance schedule but confirm improvement.

For official samples, compliance is based on the Running Annual Average (RAA), which includes the past four quarterly samples. Older elevated results still affect the average, so the violation remains until those age out.