Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
PALATKA — Contractors working for the City of Palatka began repairs Monday on two failed aeration towers at the R.C. Willis Water Treatment Plant on Moody Road. The towers, both of which are decades old, have caused local water to emit a sulfur-like odor.
In Palatka—as in many parts of Florida—the city’s water plant uses aeration towers to remove naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide, the compound responsible for the “rotten egg” smell often associated with water from Florida aquifers. Water is pumped from wells to the top of the aeration towers, where much of the odor is expelled before further treatment.
“The water has an unpleasant odor due to hydrogen sulfide, which is essentially a sulfur smell,” said Water Plant Superintendent Shawn Bruneau. “Nobody wants to take a sip of water and smell it first, but the water is safe. We are still putting it through all our other treatments. It is still sanitized and disinfected before it leaves the plant. The state would never let us provide unsafe water, and I would never let a drop of water leave here that I would not drink or let my family drink. It’s just unpleasant smelling right now.”
During its Jan. 9 meeting, under the City Manager’s report, the Palatka City Commission approved spending up to $300,000 to rebuild the towers or purchase a new aeration tower as an emergency action. The project is estimated to cost $250,000, which, according to Bruneau, will replace all components from the bottom up with new parts. With regular maintenance, the upgrades should eliminate the odor issue for 20 to 30 years. The repairs on the towers are expected to be completed this week.
“We will have them up and running Friday,” Bruneau said. “I would say by Monday you’ll definitely start seeing the water quality changing. We produce about 1.6 million gallons every day, so it takes some time for all the water to move through our system.”
Bruneau praised the commission’s decision, noting that replacing the aging infrastructure will benefit residents and support future growth.
“The City Commission has made this investment in the water plant for our future,” he said. “These things need to be updated so we can move ahead, support new growth and provide better-tasting, better-smelling water to every citizen out there—something we all use every day. We’re making that investment in the water plant.”
For More information, contact City Hall at (386) 329-0100 ext. 206.