Curtiss moves forward on well rehabilitations

The village board of Curtiss on Tuesday approved plans to continue rehabilitating the local wells that supply residents and businesses with water.

The village had already approved the rehabbing of wells 12 and 13 during its June board meeting, when it approved a contract with CTW Corporation for $29,000 worth of work.

DPW Lawrence Swarr, however, noted that wells 1, 3 and 4 were also experiencing difficulties with diminished water flow due to particle obstructions clogging up the pores the water runs through.

Swarr said well 3 is currently producing 320 gallons per minute, up from 260 gallons per minute a month ago, but said he would like to see the water flow increase to a DNR mandate of 340 gallons per minute “I’d say we’re getting close,” Swarr said regarding proper water flow. “We could hit it. I’ve been able to get it to hit 330 the last two days.”

Swarr suggested that the board attempt to use butterfly valves to increase the water flow at wells 3 and 4 before allowing CTW to scrub and acid wash the wells. Even without the use of air bursting to clear particles, that work could still cost the village as much as $20,000 for each well depending on the extent to which the wells need to be rehabbed.

Board member John Unruh was in favor of this, and the board approved a motion that will allow Swarr to approach CTW about rehabbing wells 3 and 4.

However, the board asked Swarr to wait before contacting CTW and to see first if adding the butterfly valves to the wells increases and improves water flow sufficiently to meet Swarr’s standards for what he sees as proper water flow.

“I think that makes the most sense, to wait and see if we can get the butterfly valves done and then see about doing the well rehabs,” Unruh said. “Once we get everything online and see the numbers. If we get enough capacity then we won’t need to do it.”