City staff outlines steps to guard Mansfield’s drinking water after past algal bloom

Louie Andres reported to the council that the city remains focused on ensuring safe drinking water after a significant harmful-algae bloom two years ago. He said the city tests regularly for HABs and is using an EPA-approved peroxide treatment in pellet form dispensed from a boat-mounted system. “As soon as the peroxide hits the algae cells, they explode and die,” Andres said, describing the treatment as safe and effective.

Andres also said the city is reconditioning two wells that are not currently in operation so the municipality could rely solely on well water if the reservoir needed to be shut down. He told council the city has capacity “to meet our need and a little bit more,” and that the wells provide a planned backup to maintain supply while minimizing reliance on reservoir water.

The remarks were delivered as part of a public-utilities briefing and were presented as operational updates rather than actions requiring immediate council policy decisions. Council did not vote on water-specific legislation at the meeting; the briefing was framed as proactive steps to comply with EPA standards and the recommendations from a consultant (Santech) related to sedimentation and safeguards.