The adage “Penny wise, Pound foolish” was brought home during last Tuesday’s Crothersville Town Council meeting when water utility superintendent Chris Mains told the council that the overdue well cleaning they approved was too overdue.
Mains told the council that the well at the Countryside Park had not been cleaned in 10 years. “It is recommended wells be cleaned and inspected every five years,” he told the council.
While conducting the cleaning it was discovered at stainless steel screen was damaged. Cost to repair will be $9,000 on top of the $2,000 cleaning and inspection fee.
“The well is sucking sand and gravel now (because of the damaged screen). If we do nothing, we will eventually be down to just one well to supply our customers with water,” said Mains.
“What about looking for a new location to install a new well?” asked council president Ardell Mitchell. “Would our $9,000 be better spent on getting a new well?”
Mains said the timeframe for fidning a site, getting approval, constructing a new well and getting it online is a months- to year-long process. “And in the meantime we would still be down to one well or be purchasing water from Stucker Fork,” said Mains. The Scott County based water utility has a cross connection to the town’s water supply.
The council reluctantly agreed to the repairs, “But let’s also look to the longterm for what the town will need to do in the future,” said Mitchell. “Let’s be pro-active, not reactive on maintenance.”
