R97-146 ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT

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F•DE �O C7 h � V 7C0 �ii '/[LINO�`j October 6, 1997 ' PUBLIC WORKS MEMORANDUM NO. 97- 90 I MEMORANDiTM TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: James L. Williams,Jr., City Manager Bruce A. McNabb,Director of Public Works� John A. Smith,Water Production Manager Stephen P. Swanson, City Engineer � SUBJECT: DeWitt County and Cisco Well Field Study City Project 9717 The City of Decatur constructed the DeWitt County Well Field in 1988 for the purpose of augmenting the City's water supply in the event of a drought or an emergency. It is located approximately 15 miles north of the City in DeWitt County(refer to attached location map). The well field consists of eight separate wells located on approximately 120 acres. The well field is estimated to have a production capacity of 25 million gallons per day(mgd) for a 90-day pumping period. The City operated the well field for 17 days beginning November 5, 1996. At that time, accurate flow measurements could not be made or recorded at the individual pumps or the stilling basin outlet weir. The peak flow from the well field was estimated to be 12 to 18 mgd based on the flow depths measured over the weir with a hand held tape measure. The City's operation of its DeWitt Well Field has resulted in complaints from neighboring private well owners regarding loss of water from their wells. During the November, 1996 operation of the well field, the City received 19 complaints. The City compensated 18 of the well owners for modifications to return their wells to service. The modifications included lowering wells and/or installing new pumps and fittings. This work was done at considerable expense to the City. These improvements were made with no certainty that the impacts to neighboring wells were the result of the City operating its well fleld. The City's experience emphasizes the need to evaluate the impacts of the operation of its well field on neighboring private wells.