What is in your water?

Well Well Well

What do we have here? Sidney Council last night listened to a presentation on Wells at their City Council Workshop. The Well Project is to replace 3 wells at the cost of 1.5 million dollars.

Well Usage

Wells producing 35 gallons of water per minute sitting on a flood plain take advantage of rain water and run off. It is especially important to the city during the summer months when Tawawa river recedes in the dog days of summer. The wells reduce the amount of water brought through from Miami River and decreases treatment costs for Sidney.

The Problem

The wells are no longer producing at levels that provide the service we need for the costs of maintenance. These wells were converted for Public use in 2009. The were test wells built for analyzing the geo composition in the flood plain. There were major issues with the well. Damaged casings from casings that were not designd for public use and the well towers make servicing the wells more expensive. Originally pumping 36.9 g.p.m./ft. as of 2022 only pumping 11.04 g.p.m./ft. after being cleaned.

Presence of Minerals

Iron has always been significant, but has declined from very high originally to the present Iron sulfide (a black solid).

It appears to be prevalent in screen zone and deposited on pump.

Iron oxide present on casing and some pulled pipe sections and manganese also present and has declined (likely deposited near wells in formation).

Likely both iron and manganese oxides depositing in aquifer near the well screen: Mixed with fine sand = clogging.

The solution

Simply put we need new wells. There is currently a Well Fund set up. Unfortunately at the point of this article it was to late to reach out to the city to get the dollar amount of the funds. There may also be OEPA grants available to off set the costs. The costs being $1,5 million dollars to replace the 3 wells and provide clean, safe water when the city needs it. I would always suggest Water Purifiers