(Posted July 9, 2015)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
The Madison County commissioners are poised to give the go-ahead to drill wells for water service to the Route 42/I-70 area.
They are in the process of buying 37 acres of land for a wellfield on the west side of Route 42, just north of I-70. The land belongs to the Catholic Arch Diocese of Columbus. The purchase price is $357,428.
According to Commissioner Mark Forrest, recent geological studies show that the area can supply good quality water. A test well drilled in June pumped a promising 300 gallons per minute.
The commissioners received one bid to drill two permanent 12-inch diameter wells on the property. The wells likely will be 200 to 300 feet deep, Forrest said. The bid opening took place July 6. Layne Water Resources of Middletown, Ohio, bid $63,960 to do the work.
Commissioner David Dhume said he wants County Prosecutor Stephen Pronai and M-E/IBI Group, the Westerville engineering firm overseeing the project, to look over Layne’s bid before the commissioners vote on whether or not to accept it.
The wellfield will supply water to a new water tower. The location for the water tower is yet to be determined. Among the possibilities are the Arch Diocese property or the county engineer’s office property, which lies on the east side of Route 42 just south of I-70. A treatment plant will accompany the water tower to soften the water.
The entire water tower/wellfield project will take a total of 18 to 24 months to complete. The overall cost is estimated at $8 million to $10 million. Once it is done, the area will be job site ready, Dhume said.
“It gives us great opportunity to grow business and commerce development at that interchange,” he said.
