Story posted Thursday, March 18, 2010
Council Reviews Water Study, Suggestions On Future
By RICHARD MAYER Assistant Managing Editor
Palatine councilmen this week heard an update from staff and a hired consultant to help determine where the village's water system is heading in the next 10 to 20 years.
As part of the 2009 Public Works Operating Budget, funds were allocated for an analysis of the existing water system and development of a master plan for improvements to meet current and future needs for the next 25 to 50 years.
The village's original master plan was done in the early 1980s with the most recent update completed in 1995. Since that time, a number of changes have occurred regarding technology, economics and regulations in addition to more property due to annexations.
The village retained services of Baxter & Woodman---consulting engineers---to take a look at the existing water system, paying close attention to previous assumptions and possible changes to the system's operation.
According to Public Works Director Andy Radetski, the current system's design has held up for many years and provides adequate water pressure and flow.
"In my 23 years here, we never came to a boil order because we provide quality service," said Radetski.
Four areas looked at include: the use of wells as a secondary water source, use of elevated storage tanks for pressurizing the system, localized water demands and their impact in the system, as well as system capacity.
Five conclusions were reached as a result of the study that would cost approximately $14.4 million over the next 20 years are:
* The village should pursue a third interconnect with a neighboring community. In addition, the village's wells should be maintained until such time that adequate secondary water is secure to cover average day demand,
* The village should maintain elevated storage tanks system rather than replacing them with pumping stations to pressurize the system,
* The village should consider constructing an elevated storage tank in the vicinity of Harper College to improve water flow in the southwest part of the village. Furthermore, the three pressure zones should be adjusted to improve fire flows to the north and northeast side of the village,
* Adequate system capacity exists within the village's water system to serve an additional 7,800 residents with major impact. Geographical areas that could easily be serviced are located to the west, northwest, and north of Palatine,
* The village should actively support the efforts of the Northwest Water Commission (NWC) to expand its system to provide secondary water, loop its distribution mains and to provide a third connection point to the village's water system at Heron Drive---just north of Northwest Highway and east of Smith Street.
According to Village Manager Reid Ottesen, he and his staff will lay out priorities for this plan in months to come and determine how the village can fund recommendations through its annual budget.
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