The City of Bagley reported Thursday that tap water samples returned with elevated Manganese levels.

 

While manganese is a naturally occurring element in the environment and humans require small amounts of manganese to stay healthy, the levels reported were 25 percent higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory limit of 1 milligram per liter.

City officials say citizens should use alternative water sources for cooking and drinking. Tap water may still be used for laundry, dishes or bathing purposes. High levels of manganese can be especially harmful to formula-fed infants because baby formula contains enough manganese for nutritional purposes.

The City of Bagley public water supply is working with Xenia Rural Water District, Region XII Council of Governments and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on bringing Xenia water to Bagley as a short-term fix to the issue.

Contact Bagley City Hall for more information.