Water board hears system overview

The water system is in “pretty good shape,” the Daleville Water Board was told at the monthly meeting Feb. 16.

Joe Harmon from David Hicks and Associates gave the board an overview of the city’s water supply, water storage and water distribution. “The wells aren’t running for really long times and they seem to be meeting the demand,” he said. “So overall, you are in pretty good shape.”

Harmon said that the city’s four water wells range in age from 13 to 60 years of age. “There is a wide range in age and also a wide range in capacity,” he said. “The new well, drilled in 2008, pumps 1,000 gallons a minute.”

Harmon said that the city pumped some 700,000 gallons of water a day on average in 2019. That number was 683,000 gallons a day on average in 2020.

“It’s important to look at average daily usage but also how many hours a day the wells are run because that tells you how well you are meeting customer demands,” he explained. “All the wells are averaging four to six hours per day.

“The recommended well water run-through is somewhere between eight and 12 hours per day so you are not over pumping any of the wells,” he said.

“The final parameter to look at when you are analyzing your pumps is to compare what they are permitted for versus what they are currently pumping,” Harmon said. “So when capacity starts dropping, that is a precursor to perhaps some other issues because as they get older they pump less water.”

Wells No. 3 and 4 have been rehabbed in the last two years, Harmon said, adding that Well No. 1 was permitted for 400 gallons a minute and it is currently pumping about 300 gallons per minute.

“It’s down about 25 percent so that shows you that may be the one that is up for rehabilitation next,” he said. “You might consider rehabbing it however there is no major urgency in that because you have four wells and they are all pumping less than seven hours a day so even if Well No.1 goes down, you will still be able to meet your (water supply) demand.”

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management considers “effective” storage, not “total” storage, Harmon said. “Since both your tanks are elevated tanks all your storage is considered ‘effective.’ Harmon said that Daleville has 1 million gallons worth of effective storage. The city has about 1.39 days of water storage. “That’s adequate but as time goes on the amount of output will decrease and in terms of long range planning, a new tank might be good to look at.”

Harmon said that a well paint job typically lasts from 12 to 15 years. “We painted in 2011 and 2013,” he said suggesting that the board consider doing a “wash out” and inspection in about two years. “It’s very important to do it before they get bad. If they get so bad that there is rust over the outside, then you have to blast it to clear metal stage and put a containment curtain up—just putting a containment curtain up costs $60,000.”

Harmon noted that the Daleville Water System serves many customers outside of the city limits of Daleville. Some 300 to 400 customers are in the Clayhatchee area, he said, adding that the board could consider building a well and tank nearer that area due to anticipated home construction growth.

“Based on most recent data, Daleville has 51 miles of water distribution mains that range in size from two to 12 inches,” Harmon said. “So the biggest concern with regards to the distribution system will be replacing older mains that cause problems, smaller mains that have become inadequate and running mains to make transporting water more efficient.

“A lot of the original water mains are galvanized and cast iron,” he said. “Replacing these mains, especially the smaller ones, has been a board priority.”

Harmon outlined water system project financing options available. He called the Community Development Block Grants “the best” because they include 90 percent grant money with only 10 percent matching funds required by the receiving municipality. The limiting factor, he said, was that in order for an area to be considered eligible for a CDBG grant, 51 percent of the households have to be considered “low to moderate income.”

The city of Daleville, as a whole, is not considered “low and moderate income,” so projects impacting the entire city such as a new water well or water tank do not meet CDBG parameters, Harmon explained. “So

you have to pick certain areas that would be eligible and there are areas of the city with older water mains that you would not be able to get that money for.”

Interest rates are at “some of the lowest that they’ve been since I’ve been working,” Harmon said, citing the ADEM State Revolving Fund— which has 2.2 percent interest for 20 years— and the USDA Rural Development has grants for up to 45 percent funding. “They base the eligibility of the median household income of the area and have 2.15 percent interest for 40 years.

In unrelated business, the board agreed to table voting on an updated water bill adjustment policy and procedure until next month’s meeting.

The next meeting of the Daleville Water Board is Tuesday, March 16, at 5 p.m. in the Daleville City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public.