City continues to search for best way to improve drinking water supply

LAUREL – The City of Laurel is pursuing a well project as it continues to look into potential options to improve the community’s drinking water supply.

The Laurel City Council passed a reimbursement resolution on Nov. 13 for a well project now and in the future. City Administrator Mark McCoy noted the city is trying to line up the drilling of three test wells south of town for water sampling.

He added the city would like the drilling and sampling of these test wells to eventually lead to a third drinking water well for the community, but whether that happens or not is up in the air. Earlier this year, McCoy noted a concern with one of the city’s two active wells has been a rising nitrate level, while the level of selenium has been an issue in the past with the other well.

The city has been working with the JEO Consulting Group for more than a year on trying to help resolve the community’s drinking water issues. Council members previously have discussed several options for potentially improving the city’s drinking water supply, including:

- Continuing the search for another well site in the Laurel area.

- Hooking on to the Wau-Col Regional Water System.

- Building a water treatment plant. In other business, the council approved:

- Ordinances that will increase electrical and water rates in the city starting on Jan. 1.

- A special designated license for Christy Taylor for a wedding reception that is scheduled for 2 p.m.-midnight Dec. 9 at the Laurel Community Center. The council also heard a dilapidated houses update from City Attorney Keelan Holloway and approved the following building permits:

- Nutrien Ag: A 69-by-17-foot concrete pad/bulk seed bins and the replacement of bulk liquid storage units.

- Nathan Schmitt: A 40-by-72-foot chain-link fence attached to the rear of a house.

- Pat Harrington: Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School for Cedar View Country Club, a 69-by-22-foot concrete pad.

- Pat Harrington: Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School, a 60-by-64-foot concrete pad at Haskell Field.

- Pat Harrington: 509 Maple St., a 70-by-70-foot chain-link fence.