Lang
6/18/25
The owners of the Lake Ridge manufactured housing community are addressing concerns about the safety of the drinking water there.
Residents of Lake Ridge report recently finding cases of bottled water and a note at their front doors. The note read: “Lake Ridge Inc. has high levels of manganese. Do not give tap water to infants under six months old or use it to make infant formula.”
Manganese is an essential nutrient that can become dangerous when consumed at high levels. Ingesting too much manganese can lead to learning and behavior issues for children and memory loss, diminished motor skills and fuzzy thinking in adults.
Havenpark, which owns Lake Ridge, quickly replaced valves in the water delivery system after issues with manganese last December. But Havenpark representative Jenny Werwa emailed KCJJ to say they were again informed of high manganese levels on June 11th after routine monitoring from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources found higher than normal levels on May 30th.
Werwa sent the following statement to KCJJ:
“At Lake Ridge Estates, we are committed to ensuring consistent, safe water quality for our residents. Last December, after a valve malfunction, water in the community was found to have elevated manganese levels. As soon as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) notified us of the increase and issued a health advisory, we worked quickly to replace the valves and monitor the water for improvement. By January, test results confirmed that manganese levels had returned to within safe limits. The DNR lifted the advisory in May, and we immediately delivered a notice to residents informing them of the update.
“As part of our continued monitoring, Lake Ridge was notified on June 11, 2025 that a recent water sample collected on May 30, 2025, detected manganese at a level of 0.35 mg/L—above the EPA health advisory level of 0.3 mg/L for infants under six months of age. While this does not pose an immediate risk for most residents, we take any exceedance seriously. We have issued a notice to residents and are providing bottled water in the community office until the issue is resolved. The tap water remains safe for bathing, laundry, and other non-consumption uses, but residents are encouraged to avoid using tap water for drinking or cooking.
“We are taking immediate steps to expedite a solution that will reduce the manganese levels in our water system and are committed to continually updating residents on our progress. Additional steps we are taking to ensure ongoing water quality include quarterly system flushes, installation of new butterfly valves on the filter backwash system, and hydrant repairs to support more effective flushing. These efforts are part of our broader investments in Lake Ridge to maintain a safe, high-quality living environment for all residents.”
Johnson County Residents United, a group made up of residents of Havenpark’s various local mobile home parks, have scheduled a Wednesday news conference to discuss their expectations for safety, maintenance, and keeping rent at a reasonable rate. That news conference is set for noon Wednesday at Sunrise Village on Scott Boulevard.