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Citing the "dire need for a new well," the City of Saline is using emergency procurement protocols to advance the drilling of a new drinking water well.
One of the city's wells, Well 4, recently failed. The city has approved the expenditure of $172,500 to pay Peerless Midwest to replace Well 4 with a new well, Well 7.
It may still be months until the well is drilled as the city is waiting for approval from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
City council approved the expenditure by unanimous vote Monday.
Bill Briggs, Superintendent for the water and wastewater systems, said the new well will be drilled just a bit north of the well it is replacing.
Councillor Dean Girbach asked Briggs to explain, for public knowledge, what happened to Well 4.
Briggs explained their was a 20-foot long split in the casing of the well. Peerless was contracted to try and repair the well with a sleeve. Grout used during the process managed to find its way to the bottom of the well.
"Enough had gotten there that it basically sealed it off," Briggs told Girbach. "They made an attempt to try and mechanically remove it and it just wasn't going to happen."
The city draws its water from five wells through out the city. The wells are 120 feet deep, drawing water from glacial deposits.
Briggs said the city's water production supply continues to be sufficient - but said there would be problems if another well went down before Well 7 was in operation.
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