MADISON - State utility regulators Tuesday approved a new well for the village of Belleville to meet its current and future demand as well as improve fire protection.
The village's third well will nearly triple daily water capacity from 264,000 gallons to 744,000, according to an engineering report. The village's highest water demand day came in 2007 when 710,000 gallons were pumped, according the Public Service Commission.
Water consumption declined by 4.27 percent between 2012 and 2016, with residential usage declining by 11.24 percent, according to the Belleville water utility's annual reports.
But with only two wells, the village would not be able to meet demand for water on peak usage days if one well was out of service, according to the PSC.
Recently, when one well was out of service and the standpipe reservoir was being repainted, the utility was unable to provide enough water to its residents, according to information submitted to the PSC.
The PSC approved the well project at $1.69 million, which would require the village to increase water rates by 38 percent, according to a PSC order.
However, the village has already accepted the $1.19 million bid to drill a final well, construct a well house, 150 feet of water main and acquire a stand-by generator, said Village Administrator Brian Wilson.
The PSC authorized a 30 percent rate increase in March, but Wilson said the added revenue from the increase will be used to retire debt taken on to replace water mains when Wisconsin 69 was reconstructed and elsewhere in the village.
Instead, the village will file a rate application this fall to retire a low-interest, long-term state loan that will finance the well project.
Last year, the village filed a request with the PSC to raise rates this year and next year when the first payments for the well project come due. Instead of authorizing a two-step rate increase, the PSC required the village to return later this year with another rate request.
"It had to do with the project not being completed in June" and extending into another fiscal year, Wilson said.
He anticipates the coming rate increase will be smaller than the March increase when rates for average residential customers increased 30 percent from $21.89 monthly for 3,000 gallons of water to $28.60.
The final well will be drilled in June, and the entire project is expected to be completed in late 2019.
The well and well house will be located north of Wis. 69/92 and east of County PB in the Bellwest subdivision.
The village's third well will nearly triple daily water capacity from 264,000 gallons to 744,000, according to an engineering report. The village's highest water demand day came in 2007 when 710,000 gallons were pumped, according the Public Service Commission.
Water consumption declined by 4.27 percent between 2012 and 2016, with residential usage declining by 11.24 percent, according to the Belleville water utility's annual reports.
But with only two wells, the village would not be able to meet demand for water on peak usage days if one well was out of service, according to the PSC.
Recently, when one well was out of service and the standpipe reservoir was being repainted, the utility was unable to provide enough water to its residents, according to information submitted to the PSC.
The PSC approved the well project at $1.69 million, which would require the village to increase water rates by 38 percent, according to a PSC order.
However, the village has already accepted the $1.19 million bid to drill a final well, construct a well house, 150 feet of water main and acquire a stand-by generator, said Village Administrator Brian Wilson.
The PSC authorized a 30 percent rate increase in March, but Wilson said the added revenue from the increase will be used to retire debt taken on to replace water mains when Wisconsin 69 was reconstructed and elsewhere in the village.
Instead, the village will file a rate application this fall to retire a low-interest, long-term state loan that will finance the well project.
Last year, the village filed a request with the PSC to raise rates this year and next year when the first payments for the well project come due. Instead of authorizing a two-step rate increase, the PSC required the village to return later this year with another rate request.
"It had to do with the project not being completed in June" and extending into another fiscal year, Wilson said.
He anticipates the coming rate increase will be smaller than the March increase when rates for average residential customers increased 30 percent from $21.89 monthly for 3,000 gallons of water to $28.60.
The final well will be drilled in June, and the entire project is expected to be completed in late 2019.
The well and well house will be located north of Wis. 69/92 and east of County PB in the Bellwest subdivision.