With a leak found in the well’s casing, well 23 will have to be rebuilt. However, since well 22 shares a common housing structure and other equipment, the utilities department felt it would be efficient to rebuild both at the same time. Photo by Daniel Olson

NEW ULM – The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is looking to replace two wells on the city water system.

The PUC is looking to replace well 23 due to damage sustained this summer, but will also replace well 22 to take advantage of cost efficiencies.

In June, the water department detected a system failure on well 23. The well motor experienced a catastrophic failure caused by sand and gravel leaking into the well’s casing. An assessment determined the split in the well casing was allowing sand and gravel to bypass the well screens and enter the water system. Well 23 has been off line since the error was detected.

Well 23 will needs to be replaced, but due to site constraints, utility engineer Dan Pirsig said the replacement well need to be in the exact location.

“We’re doing what is called an overshot,” he said. The former well casing and housing will be removed and a new well will be drilled in the same spot. The new well will be a little wider and a little deeper.

However, since well 23 and 22 share a common housing structure and other equipment, the utilities department felt it would be efficient to do an overshot on well 22.

Utilities director Kris Manderfeld said well 22 is scheduled for a full rehabilitation and it make sense to do the overshot rebuild now during the well 23 rebuild. Public utilities would rather take down the well housing and bring in drilling equipment once, than schedule two separate well rebuilds.

“When we’re all done, we will have two brand new wells at the exact same location,” Pirsig said.

This approach will also save utilities extra cost down the line. Manderfeld said the cost estimate for only rebuilding well 23 was estimated at $900,000. By adding on well 22, the estimate increased $200,000 for a total of $1.1 million. The cost for each well casing is $200,000. The majority of the expense is connected to taking out the housing, piping and shared electrical work for the two wells. By doing two wells at once, the PUC is expected to save $700,000.

The PUC agreed to accept an engineering proposal from Short Elliot Hendrickson (SEH) to oversee the reconstruction of well 22 and well 23 for $132,500. The actual construction of the wells will occur in 2025. The cost of construction is estimated at $1.1 million.