Initially built in the 1980s, Talkeetna’s water supply is in need of pipe updates, a storage tank, and now requires treatment for arsenic. Four point seven million dollars in State funding has allowed Talkeetna to explore new well sites for water supplies that would not require treatment for arsenic. That State funding coupled with a congressional appropriation of 5.1 million dollars will enable Talkeetna to also install a storage tank and to upgrade piping in the water system.
Mat-Su Borough Environmental Engineer Mike Campfield says the Borough selected a test well site on Alaska Railroad property because the existing well is already located on Railroad land.
“We’re still working through land acquisition. We don’t own the land. We’re looking at some other potential pieces of property that are nearby. So in the end we may or may not be on that exact site, but at least we’ll try to be in that general area.”
Campfield says the existing well sites are not easy to access, especially during busy tourist times. Borough Supervisor and Operator for Talkeetna Sewer and Water Amanda Fleming discusses the current location of the wells.
“There’s two wells off of C Street on the west side of Talkeetna. There’s a primary well and a backup well. The backup well is in case the primary well goes down. Or really, it’s utilized for fire suppression, fire protection.”
Campfield says they are not just looking for a well site.
“We’re looking for a site that’s big enough we can have a rather large steel structure and also have good water below it.”
Campfield went on to say that the tank would allow Talkeetna to store about two to three days of water in case of emergency and could also serve to support fire suppression needs.
The EPA lowered allowable arsenic levels in the early 2000s. Fleming says that Talkeetna’s water supply exceeded those levels once they were lowered.
“Our wells are currently hovering at that 15 to 18 parts per billion range. So we were required to put in a treatment facility to reduce arsenic below that maximum contaminant level. So now we are typically in the range of 2 to 4 parts per billion.”
Campfield says the test well indicates lower arsenic levels and good flow.
“We did have the water pump tested just to see how much drawdown there is. And the aquifer responded well. We did the whole suite of water quality sampling, not just for arsenic, but that was the main thing we were looking for.”
Campfield says the Borough will bring the project to the community once they have acquired the land and have a plan for moving forward.
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