Nornaml Town Council approves ammonia removal testing kit
Written by Bella Marello on October 19, 2026
Image by Bella Marello
NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Town Council accepted a proposal from Veolia Water Technologies for ammonia removal pilot testing equipment.
The Town of Normal previously tried a different type of testing that failed.
Council member Kathleen Lorenz pulled the item from the voting agenda for discussion and asked Normal Water Department Director John Burkhart why the last test failed and what will be different about this test.
“We feel that the first one failed because it had a packed media that was part of it,” Burkhart said. “The raw water that we were using was just causing interference. It was fouling out too soon. We couldn’t keep it clean.”
According to Burkhart, this new testing will use water that’s been halfway through the treatment process to peel out some of that interference.
The previous test was designed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Burkhart said the previous test worked for several other water treatment plants throughout the country.
“We thought the last one would work. Other communities used it, and it worked for them. It just didn’t work for us,” Burkhart said. “We’re hoping this one does work, and we [hope we] don’t have to pilot test anymore.”
Burkhart said there are no guarantees that this testing will work.
“If for some reason this one fails, we’re kind of at the end of the biological approach,” Burkhart said. “So, then it’s probably looking more towards reverse osmosis.”
“That’s a unique challenge in itself. That’s building a whole new plant,” Burkhart continued.
Lorenz drew attention to the cost of the project.
“We’re not made of money, and so we can’t be doing 65,000 and 90,000 and maybe, in three years, 120,000,” Lorenz said. “But, it sounds like this may be our last chance on biological before we have to completely change course.”
The total cost of this project is not to exceed $90,000. The last test was $65,000.
This resolution was approved unanimously.
Throughout the meeting, there was discourse between Mayor Chris Koos, City Manager Pamela Reece and Lorenz, with Lorenz interrupting Koos and Reece several times.
Koos asked Lorenz at one point to stop interrupting him.
During the discussion of a resolution to replace one of Normal’s five ambulances, Lorenz asked why Covid-19 delayed ambulance manufacturing several times. After multiple answers, Koos attempted to wrap the conversation up.
“I think we’re getting into the weeds here,” Koos said.
The Normal Town Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month.
