Due to an expanding population in Coralville, the city is looking for ways to support the growing population with a proposed $3 million water well.
The city applied for a State Revolving Fund loan to complete the project. According to city engineer Scott Larson, the estimated cost for the project is around $3 million. The SRF loan would cover the total estimated cost of the project.
The population of Coralville in 2020 was 22,359. As of 2024, the city’s population has grown by roughly 2,000 residents.
“This project is helping us increase our infrastructure because our community is growing, and we always need to be looking to the future as we continue to grow,” Coralville Mayor Meghann Foster said.
The city stated minimal tree clearing would take place to make room for the well. Larson said the city had already cleared the trees before the project’s approval from city council members. The chasm of the well is estimated to be 18 inches in diameter.
“The tree clearing, in this case, took place on city property, and we were actually pretty selective when it came to choosing which trees to clear,” Larson said.
The proposed well would be located south of Oakdale Boulevard, north of Forest Hill Drive, and east of Timber Lane on city property. The proposal also includes constructing a 12-inch raw water main along the length of 12th Avenue to deliver groundwater to the water treatment plant before it becomes drinkable, Larson said.
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The water main would connect to an already existing transmission main. The Silurian Aquifer is one of Coralville’s main sources of water in which well 16 would pull more water. The aquifer is 500 feet deep and provides 30 percent of Coralville’s water supply.
Larson expects to take bids for the project in January of next year if the proposal is approved. If so, the city hopes to start construction as early as February 2025. The well is estimated to add an extra 350-400 gallons of water per minute.
The public will have a chance to comment on the proposed well project the city of Coralville is suggesting for an improved water supply on Nov. 26 at the Coralville City Hall.
At that meeting, the council will set a second date for another public hearing to discuss the plans and specifications of the proposal, according to Larson.
The public hearing will allow residents to express any concerns they have about the project to city council members at the Tuesday meeting later this month.
Foster and Larson both expressed the importance of forward-thinking infrastructure plans for the city and how important it is to be properly prepared for a growing population.
“We’re already looking at wells 17 and 18 as far as what may fall into the schedule,” Larson said.