If you travel along Casey Road at Pine Road you may have noticed drilling work and water at that intersection as contractors work to identify a viable redundant well site for the county’s drinking water system.
Last year as the county was updating its water/wastewater master plan, it identified the need to add an additional water supply to meet state requirements for emergencies and provide for future growth. The county contracted with Shaw Engineering of Reno to study the best location for an additional water supply and to drill a test well to determine the amount and quality of the water at that site.
The corner of Casey and Pine was identified as a possible site for the well and drilling work took place this month to determine the quality and amount of the water found there.
Churchill County successfully applied for a grant from the Nevada State Revolving Drinking Water Fund to pay for the majority ($100,000) of the cost to identify a redundant well area and test any water found there.
“Since the drinking water fund is a grant, the county will not have to pay back that $100,000,” said Marie Henson, Churchill County building official. “Shaw Engineering will do the testing on the water found at the corner of Casey and Pine this winter and report the results to us this spring.”
If the water is found to be viable, Henson will apply for another grant from the State Revolving Drinking Water Fund that could help pay for a permanent well to be installed at that location.