Teal Lake in the city of Negaunee is seen. The lake was the source of water for Negaunee up until 1994. (Journal file photo)

NEGAUNEE –The city of Negaunee’s water supply was produced from the city water works station on the shores of Teal Lake, but it all ended on June 1,1994, when the city began operating a joint public groundwater supply with the city of Ishpeming.

It was in the mid 1980s when the state ordered Negaunee and all other communities using surface water to install a filtration plant or switch to groundwater.

After numerous delays, plans and proposals the city finally joined forces with Ishpeming to construct a six well system. That day in June, the water pump in the little sandstone building on the southeast corner of Teal lake shut down ending 112 years of service.

Negaunee would have wanted to keep it operational in case of an emergency but the state health department did not approve.

Problems with Teal Lake as a water source for drinking had been monitored for many years. Teal Lake along U.S. 41 had been a sore spot for human consumption for city officials and public health officials. In 1850, the total population of Marquette County was only 136. (In those days Indians were not counted.) Water wasn’t a problem. By 1854, Negaunee had six log houses, and a plank road covered the mud ruts that was the road to Marquette. It had been ten years since William Burt surveyed the area.

By 1880, the Jackson Mine opened and wells on the west side of Negaunee began going dry. Most people blamed the mine. by 1882, a pumping station had been built on the corner of Teal Lake. The inlet was out in the lake.

A coal pile fed a boiler operated pump that pushed water through the seven miles of water lines. But it wasn’t long before people complained about the water.

There was discoloration, it smelled bad. Some blamed it on dead logs in the lake or a nearby slaughter house.

Youngsters began earning pocket money by hauling cans and pails and bottles of fresh spring water to housewives.

The problems persisted despite numerous attempts to correct it. The water department monitored it for algae growth which they treated with copper sulfate which made the water too hard.

There was a discussion about a filtration system but nothing happened. In the 1950’s all water was chlorinated and fluoridation was added

Monthly reports were sent to the Health Department reflecting the daily fluoridation treatment. Water fluoridation has has recently become a controversial topic.

But it was in 1945 when Grand Rapids, Michigan did a fluoridation study and it continues to be dental science’s main weapon in preventing and reducing tooth decay in children and adults.

Sugar in the diet and “high energy fructose corn syrup” are culprits in tooth decay . Addition of fluoride to toothpaste and mouth wash has been helpful and has resulted in the recommended fluoridation to be lowered to 0.7%. Since the study in Grand Rapids, water fluoridation programs spread to many cities in Michigan. According to the census,

The city of Marquette was fluoridated in 1951, followed by Negaunee, 1951, The city of Ishpeming and the Township began in 1953. National Mine fluoridated their water in 1972.

Local dentists began to see a change. Pioneer dentist Stan Holman of Ishpeming could tell where the children he saw lived by the decay present. Dr. Jim Hayward remembers Dr. Ray Johnson of Negaunee telling the dental society what a difference water fluoridation made in reducing decay in his patients.

When the cities of Ishpeming and Negaunee merged their public water systems they continue to fluoridate the water supply at a level of 0.7%. As a dentist for the Marquette County Health Department Dental Clinic, serving low income children from all around the Upper Peninsula from 1993- 2010, he saw the worst decay in children who came from areas with no water fluoridation.

Water fluoridation has been a blessing to our country’s children and should be celebrated as

such.