Published: March 25, 2008 10:21 am            

Worries about water

City Council receives update on Kaw pipeline and Stillwater’s drinking water

It was only the second time that Scott Taylor has seen the mayor show up at the city’s water treatment plant in the last 20 years, and Monday he and the Stillwater City Council got a first hand look at the plant and the issues that face a city that supplies a region with drinking water.

Taylor, plant superintendent, and Water Utilities Director Anthony Daniel briefed the council on work that will be needed and challenges for the future as the council toured the treatment facility that is the terminal destination for the Kaw Lake raw water pipeline that Daniel called the “lifeline” of Stillwater.

That “lifeline” is 39 miles long, travels under the Arkansas River twice and has a unique set of challenges due to the way it was constructed. Daniel said of the line and its challenges, “This is what keeps me awake at night.”

The Kaw line was constructed without any isolation valves or air valves. All but two of the six leaks to date have been within one foot of a connection, and repaired with a wood plug, welded patch and wrapped.

Also included into the mix was the pumps at Kaw Lake that send water to Stillwater. There are six pumps total, with two large pumps used during the summer and four smaller pumps used during winter months. Work is currently being done on the switches in the pumps.

The inability to isolate sections of the line for repair makes fixing problems a tough issue considering the small amount of supply that can be stored. “There is not a whole lot of reserve,” Taylor said.

More storage is available other than the 4 million gallon raw water tank at the plant, but it will not last long against 8 million gallons of water that is pumped out of the plant each day.

That water is pumped throughout Stillwater and surrounding water districts that rely on the city as a regional water provider. According to Taylor, the Kaw line can be drained in four to eight hours and refilled in three to four hours.

The system that carries drinking water is also in need of attention. The city is working to get a handle on water loss — water pumped versus water metered and purchased. Loss occurs from water that escapes due to leaks or not measured by aging meters.

The city is currently losing double the amount of water that is considered acceptable.

According to Taylor, water takes 17 to 18 hours to treat under normal flows. That water is not showing up in sales and a large part of the problem has been attributed to meters that are clogged and do not read properly.

The city has been actively replacing meters and, according to Daniel, meters exist from the 1950s that should be changed approximately every 12 years. He said 1,500 can be changed out each year with current resources.

Regional needs were apparent with the set of issues that was discussed concerning Rural Water Corporation No. 3. The city took over the water corporation last year, which runs from Noble County to 33rd Street.

The system includes 130 miles of lines, nine storage tanks and seven booster stations. Specific needs are being addressed for the system that has a lot of lines and few customers. A portion of the problems with the water cooperation are centered around water quality in the lines due to the miles lines and few connections.

A request for mapping of the RWC No. 3 system will appear before the Stillwater Utilities Authority next week, and Daniel said needed improvements will be made before growth warrants line extensions.

All of the work in Stillwater will include an ongoing project to color code and upgrade fire hydrants in Stillwater. Daniel and Stillwater Fire Chief Marion Blackwell have been working on the project with more than 350 inspected and labeled. Daniel said more than 350 of the city’s 2,000 hydrants still need work.

On the other side of the water issues is the wastewater treatment plant and sanitary sewer system. Rainfall events have shown open holes in the sewer exist, causing flow spikes during heavy periods of rain.

Roots have also been a problem for the city’s system, causing clogs and back-ups due to the nutrients and water trees seek from the lines.

The collection system includes 15 lift stations that are also in need of maintenance. Some are badly corroded and have been neglected over time.

While some items may come before the council soon, many will be part of the consideration of the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

        

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