DNR provides alternate potable water supply at
Van Riper State Park
In
preparation for a water system improvement project, drinking water at Van Riper
State Park in Marquette County was tested and found to contain arsenic in
levels slightly above government health standards.
Park
staff was notified Wednesday by the Marquette County Health Department that the
arsenic concentration at the facility was 14 parts per billion, 4 parts above
the standard. The water remains safe for hand-washing and showering.
A truck
is available to provide potable water to campers at the park. The upgrade to
the park’s water system is slated to take place in September, which is expected to alleviate the problem.
Because
of this inconvenience, campers who would like to cancel their reservations, may
do so without penalty. Currently, reservations are being charged at the semi-modern
rate: 30-amp sites are $20 per night and 50-amp sites are $24 per night.
Rate
changes are being handled by park staff. Cancellations are being addressed by
the DNR’s reservation system, CAMIS, internally. CAMIS can be contacted at
1-800-447-2757.
Arsenic
is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth’s crust. A
large source of total arsenic comes from the food we eat. However, most of the
arsenic in food is in an organic form, which is much less harmful than the
inorganic arsenic found primarily in groundwater. Some foods also contain
inorganic arsenic, but the main exposure to inorganic arsenic is normally from
consuming water.
There are several potential sources of arsenic in drinking water, including the erosion of natural
deposits.
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