Mayor Roland Hall explained that the town has contracted with the Wooten Company to begin the project.
According to Hall, the Wooten Company, the engineering firm in charge of the project, has also subcontracted with Underwood Well Drillers to do most of the exploration of a potential site for the new well.
“They have to explore the site and do test drilling and once they are satisfied, they will begin the drilling of the well,” Hall commented.
Currently, the project costs $500,000, and the plan is still in works for the entire project to be paid with grant funds. Right now, the town has secured a grant total $325,000 from the Rural Center, and the rest is still being searched for.
According to town clerk Drenda Ammons, the additional funds for the well are expected to be provided by some Urgent Needs funding from the state’s Department of Commerce.
However, should the Urgent Needs funding fall through, the town would have to supplement those funds with the town’s cash flow.
Ironically, while the town has been planning for this well for at least two years now, Hall expressed that there are no problems currently with the water.
Also, the mayor pointed out, “no residents have complained” of the conditions of their water either.
The purpose behind the project, which has been in the plans for the last two years, was initiated after engineers indicated that the water quality could be contaminated at a well site, which is located at Cypress Street, in the future. After finding petroleum at a nearby location, the engineers determined that the site would need to be shut down before these pollutants made their way into the town’s water supply. Hall is confident that this has not happened at this point.
As for why it is taking so long to begin this water project, Hall stated that he couldn’t say for certain, but he stated that it was probably a combination of factors that are leading to the delay in the construction.
Ammons expressed that the delay in the work had mainly to do with finding a site for the well, which is planned to be located on North Street.
“It took a while to get the property,” said Ammons. However, she stated that now that the site is found, she stated that test drilling should end by the end of the month, and the engineers would then talk with town board about what the next step in creating the well will be.
Also, she stated that while the exact date of when the well will be finished is not decided, she did say that it could be within six to eight months, if the current site is found to be viable.
Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@heartlandpublications.com.
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