Well 8 taken out of service for the season

Madison Water Utility has taken Wll 8 out of service and will drain its reservoir. The well was turned on over the summer and placed in standby mode to ensure an adequate water supply would be available in the event of a major fire or other supply emergency in the area. Water from the well was never put into the city's water distribution system. Turning the well on did give our water quality team an opportunity to collect new samples and test the water for tetrachloroethylene (PCE) - the same chemical contaminating groundwater beneath nearby Madison Kipp Corporation. Once again, tests revealed no PCE in Well 8 water. Although Madison Kipp decided not to use its nearby monitoring wells to study any impact that running Well 8 might have on the contamination plume, we are hopeful that the company will do so in the future if and when Well 8 is turned on again. The seasonal use of Well 8 could take on critical importance during the summer of 2014 when another well in the area will be offline for a filter installation. Should one of the remaining year-round wells have a mechanical issue, it will be crucial to have Well 8 operational to meet water and fire needs on Madison's east side.

Links