ASHLAND — The Ashland Water Treatment Plant is getting a new water softener and one of the city’s 11 wells is getting emergency repairs.
Ashland City Council entered into a contract to replace what’s known as “water softener #1” for a cost not to exceed $800,000.
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said the project represents one of several “significant expenses” coming down the pike for the Ashland Water Treatment Plant in coming years.
He said the water softener is not like the ones found in homes.
“These are more industrial in size and scope,” he said of the two concrete tanks used to soften the water drawn from the city’s 11 water wells.
The tank to be replaced was first installed in 1970, the mayor said. It was refurbished in 2008 until it went down six to eight months ago.
One of the city’s water wells, known as “water well #7,” will also get repaired. Council entered into a contract with Moody’s of Dayton Inc. on Tuesday. The anticipated cost — which includes a new pump, new lining and a new stainless steel drop pipe — is $75,000.
The well will be out of service until the work wraps up “here shortly,” Miller said. The city has already spent around three-quarters of the money council approved because the issue came up originally in late July or early August.
Miller said the city treats around 2.5 million gallons of water every day, although officials have estimated the city has the capacity to treat four to six million gallons of water everyday.
The 200-foot water well to be repaired produces over a million gallons a day, Miller said.