By Staff
TESTING BONITA LAKES – Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith, left, and Syreeta Derricks, who monitors the city's fresh water supply, test water samples Friday from Bonita Lakes upper lake. Derricks said she plans to post test results Monday at www.yearofcleanwater.org. PHOTO by steve gillespie / The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
October 19, 2002
According to a field test at Bonita Lakes upper lake, the water there could just about pass for drinking water.
The city of Meridian participated in the National Water Quality Monitoring Day on Friday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the national Clean Water Act.
Monty Jackson, director of public works, said Bonita Lakes was chosen as a testing spot because it was directly affected by the Clean Water Act.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality promoted the water quality monitoring day by offering test kits to groups, individuals and government agencies that wanted to participate.
Mayor John Robert Smith took a water sample from the lake. Based on the results of the test, the water was determined to be in excellent condition.
The water quality monitoring day was a national initiative that took place the same day as Meridian's Downtown Clean-Up day.
The DEQ is educating the public on the dangers of ground pollutants that could threaten lakes, rivers and streams because of construction projects, forestry, agriculture and urban stormwater runoff.