Discussion at the Feb. 15 Independence Township regular board meeting took a technical twist ? township officials listened to a proposal to close a well at Hidden Lakes and create a new well site at Lake Oakland Woods.
According to Department of Public Works Director Linda Richardson, the well at Hidden Lakes lost significant production in 2004. In addition, the well would require an updated treatment facility to meet the new arsenic level standards being implemented on Jan. 1, 2006.
After considering the pros and cons, township officials decided that constructing a new well at Lake Oakland Woods would be more economical than attempting to correct the Hidden Lakes well. The well at Lake Oakland Woods is expected to produce between 1,400-1,600 gallons of water per minute compared to the 700 gallons per minute at Hidden Lakes.
The cost for building the new well-site at Lake Oakland Woods is set not to exceed $1.7 million, or around $1,200 per gallon per minute. The repair costs to the Hidden Lakes well would not improve water production and would cost approximately $1,800 per gallon per minute.
Township officials assured that residents would not experience any interruption in water service. The new well at Lake Oakland Woods is scheduled to be completed by October, while the Hidden Lakes well can remain active until January 2006.