MSU and the city of East Lansing have reached an agreement, in principle, to bring Brody Complex onto the city’s water system, which could generate about $2.2 million for East Lansing.
The new relationship will allow the city to manage its impending budget crisis more easily, and MSU hopefully will be able to retain more students in the residence halls by offering softened water.
“The existing water is fine; it’s safe,” said Todd Sneathen, East Lansing director of public works.
“But one thing they’ve continued to talk about is having the residence halls provide the same amenities that apartment complexes provide.”
The project, which is slated to finish before the fall semester begins, would make Brody Complex the second MSU development to run on city water.
University Village Apartments on Kalamazoo Street was rebuilt in 2007 and able to connect to city water because of its proximity to the city’s water supply, said Bob Ellerhorst, director of utility services at the T.B. Simon Power Plant.
Sneathen said he hopes MSU, which currently supplies its own water for campus buildings, will consider using city water when the university undertakes its residence hall renovations, but Ellerhorst said most residence halls are located too far away to make it economically feasible.
Ellerhorst said the university would have to invest in a $20 million softening plant to match the city’s water quality.
Jessica McDonald, an advertising junior, said students will benefit from the switch.
“It’s definitely a good idea,” she said.
“When I lived in Brody my freshman year, there were a couple girls that got chemical rashes from the water when they took showers.”
Although Sneathen said the softened water will help reduce damage to kitchen equipment and piping, Ellerhorst contends the only improvements from softened water are on laundry and the water’s aesthetic quality.
“Really, it doesn’t have any negative effects,” he said.
Stephanie Commyn, a history sophomore who lives in Mason Hall, said she has had issues with MSU’s water and would welcome the change.
“I think the MSU water has a smell to it, and it tastes different from filtered water,” she said.
For students who live in the residence halls, water only is a temporary issue until they move.
But for the city, it has been an ongoing saga — and one it hopes is starting to take a different turn.
“(MSU) already pretty much decided they’re going to do it (in Brody Complex),” Sneathen said.
“But we’ve been talking about doing this for 25 years.”
Staff writer Ellen Mitchell contributed to this report.
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