10-03-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

nitrate is 10 parts per million (ppm). Well #3 has tested as high as 9.0 ppm and Well #5 has tested as high as 8.2 ppm. The water quality and production study that was completed this past spring recommended blending water from a new well to lower nitrate levels in Well #3. However, the two test wells drilled showed nitrate levels of 6.5 ppm and 7.0 ppm; too high to effectively blend. As a result, staff is proposing to construct a treatment facility that would lower the nitrate levels at both Well #3 and Well #5 to below 5 ppm, which is comjarable to the water quality from Well #7 (Roadside Park tennis courts) and Well #4 (23r St. near the Hastings Country Club). The blending of water from Well #3 and Well #5 for nitrate removal will have the added benefit of reducing the levels of cyanazine in the end product well below the most conservative health standard. The remaining well, Well #6 (Spiral Blvd.), has spiked above 10 ppm, but generally has been running with nitrate levels bouncing between 5.5 to 6.5 ppm, with the nitrate levels showing a slow but steady increase. A future decision will need to be made about construction of a second nitrate treatment facility at Well #6 to remove nitrates from water pumped from Well #6 and Well #8. Construction of a treatment facility for Wells #3 and #5 will also include construction of a new trunk watermain and raw watermain between the two wells, improvements to the booster pump system at Well #5, modifications to Well #5 and pumphouse, additional piping changes, improving the interconnection between the low system and high system at the Well #5 site, and major control system improvements. The preliminary cost estimate for the treatment facility is $2,200,000. The trunk and interconnection watermain cost is preliminarily estimated at $800,000. The well, piping and control system modifications are estimated at $700,000 for a total cost of $3,700,000. As proposed, the interconnecting watermains would be constructed next summer. The treatment facility would be designed this winter, with construction to begin in the spring of next year and completed and operational by the spring of 2007. Fundin2 The preliminary estimates for construction of a new well and a treatment facility total $5 million. The City has a $1.7 million balance in WAC fund. WAC funds are . collected on building permits for new construction to fund expansions to the water system caused by growth. The City also has a $2.7 million balance in the Water fund. I would recommend retaining a minimum reserve of $1 million for emergencies and cash flow balancing. This leaves a total of $3.4 million of cash on hand. However, there are other water systems improvements planned for the near future. The cost of a downtown water strengthening main that would be constructed as part of the riverfront redevelopment is estimated at $500,000. Earlier this year, Council was presented information about a long range plan to address fire flow deficiencies in the low system by constructing trunk watermains that would loop from the Tilden School area to the Downtown and south from the Downtown to complete the loop at CR #47 and Hwy 61. Staff will soon propose reconstruction of 3rd Street for the 2006 improvement program, which will include part of the above described water improvements to address fire flow deficiencies. At this time, I do not have a cost estimate for these phased water system improvements. As growth continues, the City will need to construct additional wells and water storage tanks.