|
|
|
Jery Bailey says it feels like half a century since he became mayor.
But it was only in April that the retired school teacher won the seat in a write-in election.
Lately he has been feeling like he won the booby prize. Days before he was sworn into office in May, this southwest Kansas town of 1,500 residents began experiencing a strain on the water supply. Still, the problem grew worse. Faced with a deepening drought, and experiencing a string of triple digit days, there was added pressure to the city's wells, which were already showing age.
The Cain Well, the best the city had, completely caved-in on a 100-degree day when people had a strong thirst and lawns and gardens begged for water. The Fairgrounds Well also was down, needing a new engine.
"We had four wells and lost two within five days and were in panic mode," said Bailey, who was called out in the early hours of the July 4th weekend due to the urgency of the water situation. Bailey, three council men, the city superintendent and other volunteers sprung into action.
"Once we discovered it, we stopped police officers and called 911," Bailey said. Law enforcement went door to door notifying the public to shut off sprinklers and stop other outdoor watering.
It was a stressful weekend that included announcements at all the churches that a voluntary water rationing was going into effect throughout the city.
In addition to dealing with serious water issues, Bailey is quickly learning how to work with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, as well as the touchy issue of eminent domain — all part of a crash course in county government 101 the one-time resident has been thrust into.
Since then to handle the emergency, the city has implemented odd/even water usage based on house numbers and new water rates will go into effect Sept.1. The new rates will only increase for those using more than 25,000 gallons, increasing by 25-cents per 1,000 gallons over 25,000. In the summertime the average households might average 50,000 gallons a month, according to Jeannie Trigg, city clerk.
Those not complying with the water rationing will be charged penalties not less than $25 or more than $100 per violation, depending on the severity of violation. Only repeat offenders would be charged. Bailey said they won't go after the person unaware it's not their day to water.
"We're not looking at putting people in jail," Bailey said. "It's to keep people from violating water usage."
In recent days he has even been the enforcer, knocking at doors telling people it's not their day to water. Most people have been glad to comply, he said.
Sublette's incredibly hot July found residents using about 28 million gallons of water out of three wells.
While Sublette has not arrived at the point where they can't draw a bath, the peak hours between noon and 6 p.m. finds water pressure pretty low.
Production is down with all wells in southwest Kansas. Bailey says the aquifer has dropped 3 feet this summer. However, experts say that once the peak water use season is over, and wells are turned off, the aquifer will recover some of that loss.
However Bruce Reichmuth, manager of Hydro Resources, an irrigation and supply company that works on high volume irrigation wells worries this year might be different. This summer consumers have been pumping harder and longer because of the drought. While he says its common to see the seasonal drop of the water table, last winter there wasn't a recovery time
Concern now mounts because the Cain Well is still not in use. Hydro Resources has re-drilled a new well nearby, after receiving approval through the Kansas Division of Water Resources to change the point of diversion of the water. Now the engine must be built over the well, pipes placed to the city line and water samples approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
This has been a busy summer for drilling wells, including a new well in Meade and an upcoming visit to Moscow regarding a new well.
"Everything is worse this year than I remember in 36 years in the business," Reichmuth said. "It's tough."
For years the city has been using band-aid technology to fix problems, said Stan Rinehart, city superintendent. The attitude toward the city's infrastructure has been out of sight, out of mind.
However, the city leaders had foresight and purchased water rights back in April 2009 from Haskell County landowners Kevin and Becky Morris, preparing for the time when they would need more water. They paid the couple $125,000 for a well about a half mile outside of town.
The contract stated if the city had to replace the well it would be replaced under Kansas Department of Health and Environment requirements. Those requirements included a pollution easement of about a 100-foot radius around the well. Bailey estimates they need about three more acres of Morris' land to guarantee those farming the land nearby never harm the water supply by using chemicals. The Morris' won't sign the easement contract, citing a personal issue.
Bailey has been assured by the Morris' that in time they will sign the easement. While Bailey knows they could seize the land through eminent domain he doesn't like the idea of "yanking the land away."
"Once you start doing that you send out a message that you are willing to do it to all the other land owners," Bailey said. "It becomes a real source of contention. We have never done that to my knowledge."
However, two council members made a motion at the Aug.1 meeting to proceed with eminent domain to acquire the needed pollution easement for the Morris Well. The motion failed 3-2.
Bailey is hoping that the two parties will come together as soon as possible. Their town needs at least four good wells. Even after the Cain Well is back up running and the Morris well is pumping water to the city, Bailey says they will be looking for other wells.
The city has appointed a long term planning committee to begin looking at the issues facing this community down the road 10 years. Water is at the top of the list, including additional wells and repairing and replacing water transmission systems, and additional engines for new wells.
Bailey's focus and dream is to get started on that plan, so they can be a proactive city government not a reactive one.
His hope is that the Cain Well will be back in operation by October or November.
But for the immediate future Bailey is hanging on the hope of a prolonged cool spell sometime in August with lots of rainfall.
Jery Bailey says it feels like half a century since he became mayor.
But it was only in April that the retired school teacher won the seat in a write-in election.
Lately he has been feeling like he won the booby prize. Days before he was sworn into office in May, this southwest Kansas town of 1,500 residents began experiencing a strain on the water supply. Still, the problem grew worse. Faced with a deepening drought, and experiencing a string of triple digit days, there was added pressure to the city's wells, which were already showing age.
The Cain Well, the best the city had, completely caved-in on a 100-degree day when people had a strong thirst and lawns and gardens begged for water. The Fairgrounds Well also was down, needing a new engine.
"We had four wells and lost two within five days and were in panic mode," said Bailey, who was called out in the early hours of the July 4th weekend due to the urgency of the water situation. Bailey, three council men, the city superintendent and other volunteers sprung into action.
"Once we discovered it, we stopped police officers and called 911," Bailey said. Law enforcement went door to door notifying the public to shut off sprinklers and stop other outdoor watering.
It was a stressful weekend that included announcements at all the churches that a voluntary water rationing was going into effect throughout the city.
In addition to dealing with serious water issues, Bailey is quickly learning how to work with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, as well as the touchy issue of eminent domain — all part of a crash course in county government 101 the one-time resident has been thrust into.
Since then to handle the emergency, the city has implemented odd/even water usage based on house numbers and new water rates will go into effect Sept.1. The new rates will only increase for those using more than 25,000 gallons, increasing by 25-cents per 1,000 gallons over 25,000. In the summertime the average households might average 50,000 gallons a month, according to Jeannie Trigg, city clerk.
Those not complying with the water rationing will be charged penalties not less than $25 or more than $100 per violation, depending on the severity of violation. Only repeat offenders would be charged. Bailey said they won't go after the person unaware it's not their day to water.
"We're not looking at putting people in jail," Bailey said. "It's to keep people from violating water usage."
In recent days he has even been the enforcer, knocking at doors telling people it's not their day to water. Most people have been glad to comply, he said.
Sublette's incredibly hot July found residents using about 28 million gallons of water out of three wells.
While Sublette has not arrived at the point where they can't draw a bath, the peak hours between noon and 6 p.m. finds water pressure pretty low.
Production is down with all wells in southwest Kansas. Bailey says the aquifer has dropped 3 feet this summer. However, experts say that once the peak water use season is over, and wells are turned off, the aquifer will recover some of that loss.
However Bruce Reichmuth, manager of Hydro Resources, an irrigation and supply company that works on high volume irrigation wells worries this year might be different. This summer consumers have been pumping harder and longer because of the drought. While he says its common to see the seasonal drop of the water table, last winter there wasn't a recovery time
Concern now mounts because the Cain Well is still not in use. Hydro Resources has re-drilled a new well nearby, after receiving approval through the Kansas Division of Water Resources to change the point of diversion of the water. Now the engine must be built over the well, pipes placed to the city line and water samples approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
This has been a busy summer for drilling wells, including a new well in Meade and an upcoming visit to Moscow regarding a new well.
"Everything is worse this year than I remember in 36 years in the business," Reichmuth said. "It's tough."
For years the city has been using band-aid technology to fix problems, said Stan Rinehart, city superintendent. The attitude toward the city's infrastructure has been out of sight, out of mind.
However, the city leaders had foresight and purchased water rights back in April 2009 from Haskell County landowners Kevin and Becky Morris, preparing for the time when they would need more water. They paid the couple $125,000 for a well about a half mile outside of town.
The contract stated if the city had to replace the well it would be replaced under Kansas Department of Health and Environment requirements. Those requirements included a pollution easement of about a 100-foot radius around the well. Bailey estimates they need about three more acres of Morris' land to guarantee those farming the land nearby never harm the water supply by using chemicals. The Morris' won't sign the easement contract, citing a personal issue.
Bailey has been assured by the Morris' that in time they will sign the easement. While Bailey knows they could seize the land through eminent domain he doesn't like the idea of "yanking the land away."
"Once you start doing that you send out a message that you are willing to do it to all the other land owners," Bailey said. "It becomes a real source of contention. We have never done that to my knowledge."
However, two council members made a motion at the Aug.1 meeting to proceed with eminent domain to acquire the needed pollution easement for the Morris Well. The motion failed 3-2.
Bailey is hoping that the two parties will come together as soon as possible. Their town needs at least four good wells. Even after the Cain Well is back up running and the Morris well is pumping water to the city, Bailey says they will be looking for other wells.
The city has appointed a long term planning committee to begin looking at the issues facing this community down the road 10 years. Water is at the top of the list, including additional wells and repairing and replacing water transmission systems, and additional engines for new wells.
Bailey's focus and dream is to get started on that plan, so they can be a proactive city government not a reactive one.
His hope is that the Cain Well will be back in operation by October or November.
But for the immediate future Bailey is hanging on the hope of a prolonged cool spell sometime in August with lots of rainfall.
