Andover, KS, draws its municipal water supply from the City of Wichita, which primarily relies on the Cheney Reservoir and the Equus Beds Aquifer. Wastewater from Andover is then treated locally at the city's expanding Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Water Pollutants and Their Complications



Like many municipalities relying on surface water and shallow groundwater, Andover’s watershed is subject to varying levels of both point and nonpoint source pollution. The most common complications of these pollutants include:

• Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs): Chemicals like Bromodichloromethane and Dichloroacetic Acid (DCA) can form during the water treatment process when chlorine interacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of DBPs can lead to health risks, including potential kidney, liver, and central nervous system issues.
• Agricultural Runoff: Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus frequently wash into source reservoirs from row crops and feedlots. These nutrients accelerate the growth of blue-green algae, generating cyanotoxins that can be harmful to liver function, skin, and the nervous system if not properly filtered during treatment.
• Urban & Stormwater Runoff: The region features heavy clay soils with low permeability, which can cause significant stormwater runoff. As rainwater washes over impervious surfaces like parking lots and residential yards, it picks up petroleum byproducts, bacteria, and sediments, which impair local waterways.
• PFAS & Industrial Contaminants: Though more prominent in groundwater monitoring sites near specialized Superfund zones and landfills (similar to the nearby South Andover Superfund site), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a growing concern due to their resistance to breaking down and their links to developmental issues and higher cancer risks.