Fairbury Approves Four More Test Wells

By Gordon HopkinsThe City of Fairbury has approved the sinking of four new test wells in the search for a new, lower-nitrate source of water. Two of those wells will at Crystal Springs and two will be in the northern part of the city. The anticipated cost is $219,340. On Wednesday, October 30, bids were electronically received for test well installation. The lowest bid was provided by Rieschick Drilling, which was recommended by Olsson, an engineering firm the city uses.“We have worked with this bidder on past projects,” wrote, Craig Reinsch, Lead engineer for Olsson, in a memorandum to the city. “All bidders have shown that they are responsive and responsible bidders. It is our recommendation that the City should award the bid to Rieschick Drilling.”Fairbury Water Sourcing Committee met Tuesday evening, November 5, to review the bids.Committee Chair Brian Schmidt, noted that included in the bid from Rieschick Drilling is the abatement of two abandoned wells, “This would also take care of closing up the I Street well and that irrigation well south of Crystal Springs.” The long-disused well located on I Street, just north of the Heritage Care Center, was recently examined in the hopes that it could be brought back online to provide an alternative source of water. However, “down hole well inspections” were conducted and it was determined the well does not meet modern standards. According to an email from Schmidt, “This well does not have screens at the bottom, but rather large slots in the concrete. This will not work by today’s standards. It is believed this casing may have been left over oil field parts. Also, while the concrete casing is still good, the morter (sic) between the joints is not. These problems can be fixed, but the cost would now be considerably more than a new well.” According to Schmidt the city spent $30,292 on the I Street well project. However, Schmidt indicated that 25 percent of that cost will be reimbursed to the city, “I will also note, this money can be partially reimbursed by a grant we are operating on.”The Fairbury City Council met later that same evening and voted unanimously to accept the bid from Rieschick Drilling.The Water Sourcing Committee was created on December 6,2022, to locate a lower-nitrate source of water to supplement the East Wellfied that currently supplies the City of Fairbury with drinking water and which consistently tests in the higher range for nitrates.

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