NEED
The rural residents in the proposed project area currently obtain their water from private wells drilled into shallow aquifers, gravel pockets or deep confined aquifers. Some rural residents are hauling water, either because their well water is undrinkable, or because there is not a sufficient quantity of water to be usable. Many residents report water quality and/or water quantity problems.
Three communities must treat their water due to high levels of fluoride (a health hazard) and a regulated contaminant. The fourth community (Jordan) does not treat water but the water is high in sodium and total dissolved solids, which are not regulated, but have detrimental effects on those drinking it.
Preliminary review of the water quality in the wells of rural users in the service area indicated the majority of them do not have access to the quality of water needed for a healthy existence. By connecting to DRWA, the residents of the service area will have access to a high quality water meeting all primary and secondary standards delivered to their homes. Private wells are not regulated by National Drinking Water Standards, but detrimental effects of the water on their users are not any less just because they are not regulated. The treatment of water in a private well is costly and often complicated depending on the quality of the water.
A regional water system will allow the rural users to have access to reliable, safe, high quality water. The public water systems in the service area are regulated by National Drinking Water Standards and must treat the water provided to their users to provide these standards. Due to limited alternatives for removing regulated contaminates; Circle, Richey and Lambert were forced to use energy-intensive systems. The requirements for safe drinking water are getting more strict every year and these increased regulations amount to additional costs to public systems. Small communities currently treating water are greatly impacted, financially, for even minor modifications needed to meet new National Drinking Water Standards.
Communities
Town of Circle
The Town of Circle has a municipal water distribution system which consists of two deep water wells, an elevated 50,000 gallon water storage tank, a 250,000 gallon on-ground water storage tank and a reverse osmosis water treatment plant with a 50,000 gallon clearwell. The Town of Circle has experienced heterotrophic bacterial growth in their wells that requires extensive rehabilitation work, or replacement. The raw water supply is over the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for fluoride and above the secondary limit for sodium. The uncertainty of the life of current wells, the cost to replace a well and the cost to treat the water are all items that strengthen their commitment to this project.
Town of Jordan
The Town of Jordan has a municipal water distribution system which consists of two water wells and a 200,000 gallon on-ground water storage reservoir. There is no treatment of the water, but it is disinfected by being chlorinated. The quality of the water exceeds many of the secondary limits, such as sodium and total dissolved solids, of the Clean Water Act. The potential for increased regulations of the Groundwater Rule (GWR) and disinfection byproducts rule would require further treatment and create additional cost for each user in Jordan.
Town of Richey
The Town of Richey has a municipal water system that consists of two deep water wells, an on-ground 40,000 gallon concrete water storage reservoir and a reverse osmosis water treatment facility. The Town of Richey's water storage reservoir is over 40 years old and has required increased maintenance in recent years. The water source for the Town of Richey exceeds the MCL for fluoride and the secondary limits for sodium.
Lambert County Water and Sewer District
The Lambert County Water and Sewer District has a central water distribution system. The District has two deep water wells, a 50,000 gallon on-ground steel water storage tank and a nano-filtration (membrane) water treatment facility. The water supply exceeds the MCL for fluoride and exceeds the secondary limit for sodium.