SARANAC LAKE — The village plans to spend over half a million dollars in federal coronavirus aid on fixing a bacteria issue with its well water.

There is a high level of iron bacteria in one of the village’s two wells, Village Manager John Sweeney said. This bacteria does not pose a health issue, he said, but it can create conditions where disease-causing organisms can grow, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. It can also turn the water a red-brown color, give it an unpleasant odor, slow water production and cause clogging.

These wells are where the village gets its water from, and according to the village website, it has around 2,000 wateer meters associated with this water system.

Sweeney said the village is getting $550,000 through the American Rescue Plan Act and has received the first half of that already. If the board approves the expense at its next board meeting, Sweeney would like to put that money into improving the village’s well water.

There are rules on how the village can spend this money that disqualify other plans on how it can be spent. Sweeney said the money cannot be spent on housing, as Trustee Melinda Little had hoped it could, because Saranac Lake is not in a qualified census tract.

Sweeney said the village doesn’t need money for COVID-related issues — it didn’t have to spend enough extra on the pandemic to require aid money.

“I’d rather spend the money on this,” Sweeney said. “It almost had perfect timing.”

He said this would mean there would be no grant needed for this project.

Sweeney said iron bacteria occurs when oxygen gets into a well water system. He believes the aid money can fully resolve the issue.

The goal is to conduct tests, find where it’s coming from and control it with a chemical.

He said the wells are 185 feet deep and the water is pulled from around 150 feet deep.

Sweeney said he is talking with HydroSource, the original engineering firm for the wells.

According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the funds could also be used to address negative coronavirus-related economic impacts on workers and business-owners, improve broadband, implement essential worker premium pay or support hospitals. They cannot be used to lower taxes directly.