Kevin Murphy, Leader Correspondent
The village of Bowler received state approval Thursday for a $354,265 project to meet nitrate thresholds for its public water supply.
The village has been under a Department of Natural Resources order to lower the concentration of nitrates in Well 1, which have historically exceeded permissible levels.
The project ordered by the Public Service Commission this week includes a nitrate analyzer to facilitate water blending; a variable frequency drive and portable emergency generator at Well 3; chemical feed pumps at both wells; and supervisory control and data acquisition system upgrades to accommodate the proposed installations and water blending.
The water utility plans to fund the project with a Safe Drinking Water Loan, but the project’s cost could result in a 20 percent increase in water rates, according to the order.
For an average residential customer using 3,000 gallons of water, the quarterly water bill would increase from $70.02 to $84.03. The statewide average for residential customers of similar sized utilities is $66 for the same amount of water, according to the order.
Aaron Gutt, director of public works, said the utility’s finances were being audited, but preliminary indications show the well project can be financed without a rate increase.
Gutt also said the level of nitrates in Well 1 has been decreasing in recent tests due to changes made on a farm determined to be the source of the nitrates.
Some farm animals were moved to a concrete pad, “and the manure runs off to a pit and is spread evenly over fields,” Gutt said.
A pilot project to reduce nitrates in the well’s output in 2013 was not successful, and the village turned to blending water from Well 1 and Well 3. The 60/40 blend of the two wells tested below the maximum allowable nitrate concentration, according to a Public Service Commission order issued this week.
The most recent test of Well 1 showed the maximum permissible nitrate level, and Gutt said he hoped the trend would continue downward.
“The lower number, the better,” he said.
A bid for the well work was awarded to August Winter & Sons, of Appleton. Gutt expects construction to begin in May and be completed in July.
The village raised water rates for residential customers 160 percent in October. The rate case allowed the village to begin collecting the public fire protection charge, which had not been increased since 2004, on water bills, according to PSC documents.