Well and wellhouse design with purpose

As the result of a Water Source and Supply Study of existing facilities, the City of Horicon learned about a deficient firm well capacity as well as two non-code compliant wells. Constructed in 1912, both non-compliant wells had insufficient casing depths and one of had perforations in the casing. Action needed to be taken in order to remedy these issues and to provide clean drinking water to Horicon’s residents.

The well-designed solution

The City’s goals were twofold. The primary goal was to develop a new water supply without the need for advanced treatment. Since all existing wells were located west of the Rock River, a secondary goal was to locate a new source east of the river and ultimately bolster system capabilities.

To begin working toward these goals, test wells were constructed to locate a source with water quality similar to the primary well. The City ultimately selected a site and constructed a new municipal well in a city park east of the Rock River. In order to satisfy a goal of shoring up the water system capabilities east of the Rock River, a new 12-diameter water main river crossing was installed via horizontal directional drilling. Since the wellhouse location fell within city park boundaries, the addition of related infrastructure and utilities also helped create more resources for park users. For instance, the City now has restrooms, a drinking fountain, and expanded access to electrical service for events in the southern areas of the park. The City opted to design the facility with an expanded footprint to allow for the future addition of treatment facilities if water quality were to change.

The project was funded by two separate loan/grants received through the DNR Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A total of $800,000 in principle forgiveness was obtained for the $2.4 million project.