MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson will hold a public hearing in October on a proposed $850,000 project to extend municipal water service to the Lakeview Hills Subdivision.
The hearing is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Oct. 6 at Hutchinson City Hall. City officials will explain the proposed improvements and accept oral and written comments from the public.
Lakeview Hills is located within Hutchinson city limits, but residents currently rely on private wells for their water supply. The proposed project would connect the neighborhood to an existing 24-inch municipal water main along 43rd Street.
Plans call for installing approximately 2,600 linear feet of 8-inch water main, along with valves and fire hydrants throughout the subdivision.
According to the city, Lakeview Hills residents rely on shallow, unmonitored wells affected by iron bacteria. The wells are also vulnerable to bacterial, nitrate or chemical contamination.
A gradual decline in the area’s groundwater table creates an additional long-term concern because private wells could eventually run dry. The extension is intended to provide residents with access to a safe, reliable and continuous public water supply.
Hutchinson intends to seek financing for the project through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Public Water Supply Loan Fund. The city plans to request an $850,000 loan, with an estimated $340,000 eligible for loan forgiveness.
Public comments received during the hearing will be considered as the city evaluates the project. Written comments will become part of the city’s official record.