Is it safe to drink water directly from the Kansas River?

Water from the Kansas River might taste a little different compared to your tap.

TOPEKA (KSNT) - It might go without saying, but you are taking a big risk to your personal health if you try drinking unfiltered water, especially from the Kansas River.

You should think twice before trying to drink water straight from the Kansas River. Even if the water looks clean, it can often contain things invisible to the naked eye that, without proper treatment, could make you sick.

KSNT 27 News spoke with a representative from the conservation group Friends of the Kaw (FOK) and the City of Topeka to learn why filtering water from the river is important and what consequences you might face by drinking unpurified water.

"It's not advised for anyone to drink water from any body of water directly," Dawn Buehler, executive director of the FOK said. "It has to be treated. Just because the water is clear, doesn't mean it doesn't have any sort of pollutant."

The river serves as the primary source of drinking water for more than 950,000 people across Kansas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). City of Topeka Utilities Director Sylvia Davis said, in the Capital City alone, about 8.4 billion gallons of water is treated every year.

"Water treatment helps in removing contaminants and hazardous substances from the water, making it clean and safe to drink," Davis said. "Filtration is just one part of the overall water treatment process."

The initial parts of the water filtration process in Topeka involve taking in water from the river and removing large pieces of debris like tree limbs and trash. The FOK recently helped out with this by hitting the banks of the Kansas River for trash cleanup work on World Water Day on March 22, 2024.

"It [water] then follows through a series of basins where we remove sediment and add various chemicals (such as chlorine) to disinfect and treat the water, removing contaminants," Davis said. "Then, the water flows through a filtration system and stored in reservoirs where it is pumped into large transmission lines that move water from the plant to the city’s water distribution system. The system includes 11 storage towers and nearly 800 miles of water mains."

Buehler and the FOK work constantly to improve the condition of the Kansas River to ensure it is safe for people to enjoy during recreational activities. This includes removing not just trash from the riverfront, but also invasive species.

Maintaining the health of the river is a constant battle, especially after storms. Trash and debris is caught up in rainwater, washing into the river and further downstream.

"When it rains really hard, everything sitting in the parking lot will wash into the river," Buehler said. "The most challenging times for our rivers will be after heavy rains."

Buehler told 27 News a constant issue with the Kansas River is the sand and sediment that builds up on the bottom. Waiting for this sediment to clear out of on-the-go filtration systems used on campouts takes a long time. To get around this, Buehler said the FOK plans ahead with stashing water jugs at boat ramps

The FOK is planning to have another cleanup operation on the Kansas River in the Topeka area from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 15. This will also serve as an educational opportunity for volunteers on why keeping the river healthy is so important.

"The best thing you can do is to pick up trash and put it in the trash can," Buehler said.

Debris isn't the only thing to worry about when considering taking a drink from the river. The bacteria responsible for blue-green algae and harmful algal blooms is also something to keep in mind, along with numerous other microbes that cause people to fall ill. You can learn more about these with help from the National Library of Medicine.

You can learn more about the FOK's efforts by clicking here or following on Facebook.

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