District erecting new water tower
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Lyon County Rural Water District No. 5 is getting an upgrade to serve its customers, including Emporia Energy, Westar’s peaking power plant that is under construction at Roads 200 and S.
Dennis Wiley, manager and operator of Rural Water District No. 5, said the upgrades include a 100,000-gallon water tower and a new pumping station. The water tower, which is located near Emporia Energy, is a big upgrade from the 37,000-gallon tank the district has now. The tower, which is under construction, is a single-pedestal tower. When finished it will be a little more than 100 feet high, Wiley said. It is being constructed by McGuire Ironworks of South Dakota.
The necessity for a new water tower has been apparent for a while, Wiley said. The water district was planning on upgrading before Westar announced that it would build a power plant in the area. When the Westar announcement was made, the new water tower became a necessity.
“A larger water tower was (required) to be able to ensure the current customers didn’t suffer from (Westar’s) usage,” Wiley said.
The tower will allow for better turnover with water, Wiley said, and will keep chlorine levels stable. This is accomplished because water isn’t sitting in the top of the tower for long periods of time.
The water tower is slated to be completed around June. New piping is already in the ground. The tower also has allowed for more customers to be added to the area, taking the pressure off the central tower. There are three districts in Water District No. 5. About 150 customers, plus Westar, will be served by the new tower. There are approximately 550 customers total in the water district.
A new pump house, in the 1900 block of Burlingame Road, also is under construction. The last time it was upgraded was in the 1970s, Wiley said. The pump house will pump a larger capacity of water to customers.