Superintendent Tim Woodward shows the location of two existing wells on a map at the Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District Board meeting Monday, May 20. The board approved test boring for a new well to replace one built in 1963. Photo by Lilli Dwyer.

By Lilli Dwyer
InkFreeNews

CROMWELL — The main item of business at the Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District Board meeting on Monday, May 20, was test boring for a new well.

According to superintendent Tim Woodward, there are currently two wells for the Enchanted Hills water system, both a little over 70 feet in depth. As per Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulations, there must be a minimum of two wells per every community public water system.

Woodward told the board one of these wells had been built in 1998, the other in 1963. Given how old that well is, and the fact that it was found to have a deteriorated screen during 2017’s annual maintenance, it may need replaced.

“I don’t know if we’re going to have a problem or not,” said Woodward. “But I would say it’s probably going to affect us if there’s a drought.”

He proposed test boring in a spot about 5 feet from the existing wells to see where the water is and building a new well based on the test findings. A replacement cannot be built in the same spot, as it is too close to sewer lines.

The board approved test boring at a cost of $7,150 from Ortman Drilling & Water Services. If a new well is built, the estimated cost would be around $18,000 for a depth of 100 feet. This is subject to change depending on what the test boring finds the ground conditions are.

Woodward also reported on PFAS, a category of harmful chemicals that break down very slowly in the environment and can build up in people, animals and the environment over time.

Woodward predicted that IDEM is going to start mandating quarterly sampling for PFAS in the near future. He has already sent a sample of Turkey Creek’s water and biosolids in for testing this year and so far, no PFAS have been detected in either category.

“Unless I let you know about it, it’s not a problem,” he said.

Lastly, Woodward told the board he is in the process of renewing the district’s biosolid permit. They put out about 5,000 gallons of waste per day, which the district periodically sells to farmers. Employees then haul it to their fields to be used as fertilizer. With the septic elimination project, 189 homes added to the district is predicted to increase that amount to 7,000 gallons per day.

Woodward stated he will not be contracting out for biosolid removal, as it is still far more cost effective to do it with their own labor. As of now, it costs about $1,800 to haul biosolids themselves.

In other business, board attorney Andy Boxberger reported he has hired Shipman Consulting to conduct an income rate study as part of the State Revolving Fund grant process. Boxberger’s hope is that the results of the study will help the district receive more grant funding from the SRF, as an estimated 70% of Turkey Creek customers are in the low-income category based on the last study done in 2014. He stated the study results should be in sometime in the next few weeks.

In the engineers’ report, Jeff Hersha of Jones & Henry Engineers presented an SRF form for the board to sign, certifying that they have fiscal sustainability.

He also presented a form for reimbursement from the state for the most recent preliminary engineering study of the water utility.

Lastly, Hersha informed the board that there are just under $7,000 remaining in accrued interest from the district’s East Shore/North Shore project, which can be used to reimburse costs from other projects. Hersha stated they will have the request to the state for fund disbursement by next month.

The board also approved up to $50,000 in on call billing to Jones & Henry.

The next Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District Board Meeting will be Monday, June 17.