City council wades through water plan
HARRISBURG — Few people can predict what will happen in a city six months down the line, let alone 20 years, yet that’s just what the Harrisburg City Council is forced to do to discuss the future of the city’s water.
On June 11, councilors met for the third time this year to discuss some of the issues surrounding the Water Master Plan, a complex document detailing predictions for the city’s water needs over the next two decades, along with what plans the city has available to meet future demands.
During last Wednesday’s meeting, councilors discussed the issue of water filtration and weighed some of the pros and cons of having a single filtration system run by the city versus each home having individual filtration systems. A third option would be to go without filtration systems altogether.
The subject of water filtration is important to the city, councilors said, as they have received many complaints about the taste and quality of the city’s water that comes from four wells south of town.
Many citizens, such as Finance Officer Tim Gaines, simply do not drink the well water and purchase their drinking water from the store. Gaines used to drink bottled water until he had a filtration system installed by Eco Water Systems out of Junction City.
“I’ve been just thrilled with it,” Gaines said.
Gaines, along with Roger Bevins of Eco Water Systems, spoke to the council about the advantages of the single filtration devices.
For a $2,000 up-front cost, the filtration devices can be maintained relatively cheaply throughout the life of the system, Gaines said.
The filtration systems use salt to filter out contaminants in drinking water and need to be refilled every three to four months. The energy output is nearly negligible, and though it does increase the sodium content of the water, it does not do so in a noticeable way that affects taste or diet, Bevins said.
If the system is not maintained, it doesn’t break down, but simply stops filtering water, Bevins said. Once the salt is replaced, even after a long period without maintenance, the system will resume working, Bevins said.
Gaines prefers the single filtration units as opposed to the city stepping in with a large-scale filter. It allows individual citizens to make a decision on their own for a relatively low cost, Gaines said.
A filtration system run by the Harrisburg Public Works would have to go to a vote, and while figures for a large system are vague, it would cost millions of dollars.
“In the long run, over a 20-year plan, I believe you’re going to spend a lot more money on a general obligation bond,” Gaines said. “You just have to convince people to spend $2,000 up front.”
Not every councilor was convinced that individual units would be the right choice for the city.
After Bevins noted that larger filtration systems for apartments and trailer parks traditionally cost less, City Engineer Ron Staelin questioned why the same couldn’t be true for a city system.
“If they can be cheaper for a larger unit, wouldn’t it be cheaper still to do one large system for the whole city?” Staelin said.
Tim Bunnell from Harrisburg Public Works answered, noting that the additional buildings, piping and electrical infrastructure the city would need for a filtration system would likely drive the cost up.
While councilors agreed that the discussion was beneficial, no one could come to a consensus without accurate numbers. While they did have cost estimates available, none were accurate enough.
“I say we don’t talk any more until we get some real numbers,” Gaines said.
The one thing that councilors did agree on is that, regardless of what option the city endorses, the council would take the issue directly to the voters for the final decision.