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After manganese scare, Battle Creek returning unused bottled water, but continues to test

After elevated levels of manganese were found in water samples taken at hydrants in Battle Creek and Springfield, the city imposed a drinking water advisory for infants and those with liver conditions.
During the advisory, which began on Thursday afternoon, the city gave out about 6,785 cases of water to 3,500 families.
"Those are not normally wells that would be operated but they are currently out of service," Hart said.
"A less frequently used well will have a higher concentration of iron and manganese specifically when you first start it up."
On Wednesday, the city sent the state a mix of samples of water at the treatment plan and that were taken during the city’s annual hydrant flushing, which will end next week.
The theory still is that the samples initially taken at the hydrant sites had elevated levels of manganese because of the hydrant flushing.
On Wednesday, city officials met with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to discuss further testing.
"We are going to review that process with the water treatment [department] to make sure that it is doing what it is supposed to do," Oswald said.
Going forward, Hart said the city will create a testing procedure to test the water before filtering and after filtering for manganese.
Battle Creek is the first city where elevated levels of the element have been found.

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