Wisdom from The Action Wisdom In Action

May. 22, 2008
Table Rock Road residents are now connected to the Gorman Water System, Director Linda Lindsey, Garrett County Department of Public Utilities (DPU), told the county commissioners on Tuesday. The recently completed line extension project "went really well," she said.
The residents had been without water for several years because coal mining activity had affected their private wells. They had to rely on bottled water and portable water "buffaloes" supplied by Mettiki Coal.
Lindsey also updated the commissioners on several other water and sewer projects, including the following:
McHenry Water Extension
A contract was recently awarded to Robert D. Beitzel Excavating to extend the McHenry water line south along Deep Creek Drive, crossing Rt. 219 to Gravelly Run Road and a portion of that road. Lindsey noted that the completion date is June 19, but work will most likely be finished next week for this phase of the project.
"We're far ahead of the completion date," she said.
The next phase was to include construction of a chlorination station and connection of the existing well along Gravelly Run Road. But, Lindsey said, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will not issue a construction permit until the final well production report is completed and the appropriation permit obtained.
A change order, therefore, has been proposed to the Beitzel contract to extend the line along Gravelly Run to the connection for the Ridgeview Valley development. Lindsey noted that this change will accomplish two things: provide water service to the two dwellings in that development and allow roadwork, which has been held up because of the line project, to finally be completed.
Future contracts that still need to be bid out include those for the water treatment plant and water storage tank.
Mtn. Lake Park Water
Improvements
Lindsey also reported that steps to improve the Mtn. Lake Park Water System at Landon's Dam were proceeding well. She said Casselberry & Associates is currently completing a report on new wells that were drilled. Four of the six wells, she said, produce a total of 191 gallons per minute, or 275,000 gallons per day, of good quality water.
"Our current need right now is around 250,000 gallons," the director said.
Commissioner Fred Holliday asked if the springs that the system currently relies on will be eliminated once the new wells are connected to the treatment plant.
Lindsey indicated that her department wants to use some of the springs. Additional testing of spring number one (Tile Spring) is being conducted, she said.
"It appears that the spring will produce between 35 to 50 gallons per minute," Lindsay said.
She noted that Tile Spring, one of the first in the Mtn. Lake Park system, was built in the early 1900s in a unique way. The original plans for the spring were recently discovered and show that it was designed to correspond to the needs of the water storage tank.
"So, when the tank level drops, the spring production increases," she said. "As the tank level increases, the spring production decreases."
Casselberry recently lowered a camera down inside the spring to see its condition.
"It's as pristine as the day it was constructed," Lindsey said. "It's just remarkable."
She noted that if Tile Spring passes the GWUDI test (ground water under direct influence of surface water), the MDE will allow it to be used in conjunction with the new wells.
Holliday said that is good, because the wells alone will only provide about 25,000 gallons above the projected need. "And that's not much," he said.
Lindsay said Tile Spring would help provide an additional 50,000 to 72,000 gallons per day above the need. She added that spring number three is being evaluated in order to determine if it can be retrofitted and pass the GWUDI test for possible usage as well.
The director also reported that an in-line booster pump station manufacturer has been located. The device would provide a continuous water supply for the Southern Pines development, a portion of which experience outages when the water tank level drops. DPU is obtaining information on the station for the Purchasing Department to review.
Thayerville Water System
"A test well was drilled on property owned by Mountainside Developers, which did not produce," Lindsay said about the Thayerville Water System project. "A well was then drilled on the Mountainside Marina Club property, approximately 24 feet north of the original well."
She said yields at the second well exceeded 400 gallons per minute. Further tests will be conducted and data collected this month.
Once the hydrologist's report is completed, minor changes will be made to the Preliminary Engineering Report and a public hearing scheduled to present the report to the public for review and comment.
Lindsey noted that Mountainside residents are very anxious to have water.
Crellin Water
Improvements
Well number two will be connected to the Crellin Water System as an alternate supply, the director reported. DPU is proceeding with the design of an iron removal system and related improvement to the water treatment plant, she added.
Friendsville Sewer
The director reported that Friendsville sewer system experiences inflow and infiltration, which has limited the availability of additional connections.
"Currently only five ERUs are available for new connections," she said.
System improvements were designed by the EADS Group, and the project was bid in December 2005. Lindsey noted, however, that bids exceeded the town's affordability level.
After exploring various funding options, the project has been split into phases. Proposed funding sources for Phase 1 will be in the form of grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission, MDE, and the Community Development Block Grant program, Lindsey noted.
"Additional grant funding will be sought for Phase II, with the possibility of a small loan," she said.
Western Conveyance
System
The Garrett County Department of General Services is currently obtaining appraisals of the mainline easements that are still required to the Deep Creek Lake Sewer Western Conveyance System, Lindsay reported.
The director concluded her report by noting that a contract was awarded to Whitman, Requardt, and Associates (WRA) to update the county's Water and Sewer Master Plan. The chapters have been drafted and are being reviewed by DPU.
"Myself and David Nixson from WRA have met with the towns of Accident, Oakland, and Grantsville in order to review their systems' information," she said. "We will meet with Mtn. Lake Park and Loch Lynn Heights on Tuesday, May 27."