Talkeetna will soon begin exploring water storage and the potential relocation of its water supply wells.
Talkeetna’s public water system serves the downtown and east Talkeetna areas, about 220 accounts. A few new accounts are added each year as more property owners connect to the system. The remainder of Talkeetna’s population is served by private wells or other water sources for dry cabins.
Drew Haag, Chair of Talkeetna Sewer and Water Advisory Board, also called TSWAB (tee-swab), shares how Talkeetna’s water and sewer services began.
“Back in the ‘80s the Borough I believe got funding to install a sewer and water system in the townsite and east Talkeetna residential area. It’s not a very good spot to have private wells and septics because the lot sizes are so small and there’s a very shallow groundwater table. The system took several years to install and there were some complications and oversights during the installation which are showing up today through leaks in water mains and infiltration into the sewer system from various sources so that’s created some of the problems we have now. Also it’s just a timed-out system.”
The Talkeetna Facilities and Utilities Operational Unit Supervisor Amanda Fleming says the project is expected to be funded by a mix of American Rescue Plan funds, along with Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation State Revolving Fund Program or Economic Development Administration Public Works grant. Any required matching funds from the grant or loan would come from Area 36 sales tax funds.
Fleming talks about how Talkeetna is prioritizing the immediate needs for using the already-allocated federal dollars and potential additional funds.
“When we presented to the Advisory Board the needs of the system and what we wanted to do, we prioritized them. So the storage tank is a priority that really has to happen. Of course there is the preliminary research phase, but that’s the primary goal of the project no matter what because the community system as it stands doesn’t have treated, stored water. We operate on a hydropneumatic pressure tank essentially, so the pumps are turning on and off and then the treatment plant is restricted on the amount of flow we can produce as treated water.”
Fleming goes on to say that upgrading the SCADA communications system and exploring potential new well locations could also be included in this round of funding. Matching funds will bring the total project cost to a little more than two million dollars.
In advance of applying for the loan program, Fleming says she is updating Talkeetna’s Source Water Protection Plan, last completed in 2013. This update will help boost Talkeetna’s chances of getting additional funding for the project.
The TSWAB meets on the first Wednesday of each month in the Talkeetna Library at 1pm. The public is invited to attend.
