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Wyoming City has been considering doing an extension of water service to the west of the freeway for years, to address low fire firefighting flow, and for looping the system. Last week the city council gave unanimous authorization to its WSB & Associates to do plans and specifications and get bids.

The estimate just for doing the engineering and buying easements is about $350,000. The actual project could run in the millions of dollars.

Because this is a trunk system project the city does not plan to assess the costs. City Engineer Mark Erichson said in his presentation to council last week that funding could come from the city water enterprise fund (built by fees charged for new parcels to access watermains). Erichson also informed council that easements are being negotiated from willing property owners where possible. Staff also mentioned bonding for the project. And, other cities assess an areawide trunk surcharge which Wyoming may be looking at incorporating into city ordinance as well.

Two routes were studied for the priority freeway watermain crossing. Erichson recommended the city do the southerly crossing first. (See map.) Both crossings will ultimately be needed.

The new watermain would be bored beneath the freeway and connect to existing pipe west of the freeway, near 261st Lane and Kettle River Boulevard.

Part of the system upgrade recommendation includes adding one-quarter to a half-million gallons of storage capacity (water tower).

The city adopted a water fee hike last year with future needs such as these in mind, City Administrator Craig Mattson explained. The city would also sell a revenue bond, backed by future collections.

Wyoming's source of municipal water is from the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer.

Existing demand in Wyoming is 269 gallons per minute to 767 gpm peak. The future demand in the service area studied will be 406 gpm to a max of about 1,217.

The comprehensive engineering study also highlights the possibility of several new wells being needed to meet future growth. Wyoming has three wells now; but the use of one is limited due to state health department Radium 226 and 228 standards.

An agreement with the state from June 2005 put the city on a path of limited #3 well use, monitoring entry points quarterly, and submitting to the department monthly pumping records.

When Wyoming moves forward with developing additional wells there also may be a need for water treatment facilities to reduce manganese and iron content, depending on the wells' water quality.

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