{"id":208358,"date":"2026-07-28T20:42:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=208358"},"modified":"2026-07-28T20:42:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:42:05","slug":"thm-fix-in-the-works-along-with-vouchers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/07\/28\/thm-fix-in-the-works-along-with-vouchers\/","title":{"rendered":"THM fix in the works, along with vouchers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a longstanding problem that hasn\u2019t gone away but that\u2019s about to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For several years, the City of Van Wert has dealt with higher than accepted levels of THM (total trihalomethanes) in the city\u2019s drinking water. The EPA\u2019s standard is 0.080 mg\/L but at times, Van Wert\u2019s levels have come in slightly above that. Notices sent out by the city have said the levels detected do not pose an immediate health risk. However, some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the Ohio EPA has approved plans for the city to address high levels of total trihalomethanes in the drinking water supply.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming said he’s seeking bids to fix the city’s THM problem. Van Wert independent file photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

During Monday night\u2019s Van Wert City Council meeting, council members approved an ordinance allowing Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to seek bids and award and sign contracts for a project to fix the problem. Fleming said the work is expected to cost appromixately $2.1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He previously explained that the state EPA is requiring the city to replace the gates on the reservoir structures, and noted there are three structures on each reservoir that allows water to come in for three different depths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reason it\u2019s so expensive is the sluice gates of that size are extremely expensive and it\u2019s all going to have to be done with divers,\u201d Fleming said. \u201cWe are excited to get this underway. We have already installed mixers in the water towers and have seen positive results. Not specifically with THMs, but our chlorine residuals have been much more stable and easier to control in the distribution system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fleming said if all goes as planned, work should start in September and last into next spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe type of winter will have a lot to do with progress,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the administrative reports portion of Monday\u2019s meeting, Mayor Ken Markward said beginning next month, the city will once again offer trash vouchers for use during the month of September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Two years ago, the city offered a limited number of the vouchers at the Municipal Building, first come, first serve and one per household, which allow residents to dispose of a large item or a load free of charge at Young\u2019s Waste. He noted that last year, 40 percent of the vouchers that were picked up went unused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to rush right up,\u201d Markward explained. \u201cIf you\u2019re not sure you want to use one and it\u2019s September 12th and you decide \u2018I think I do want one\u2019 you\u2019ll still have time to come up and get one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notices and more information will be included with August water bills<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou take your load to Young\u2019s, that\u2019s the same as last year, and it will list all the things you can\u2019t take,\u201d he explained. \u201cIf it\u2019s not on the list, they\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent editor It\u2019s a longstanding problem that hasn\u2019t gone away but that\u2019s about to change. For several years, the City of Van Wert has dealt with higher than accepted levels of THM (total trihalomethanes) in the city\u2019s drinking water. The EPA\u2019s standard is 0.080 mg\/L but at times, Van Wert\u2019s levels have come in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-05 17:24:24","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208358"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208360,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208358\/revisions\/208360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}