Water to be pumped in for new sportsplex

FLORENCE - After five failed attempts, the sixth drilling attempt reached its goal - an underground water source for the new Florence sportsplex.

"The bad part is trying to find water in a 100-year drought," said Mayor Bobby Irons.

The well will be inside the water treatment plant gates, with pipes running approximately a mile and a quarter to service the sportsplex, said Fred Boughner, parks superintendent for the city of Florence.

Irons said the site was a bit farther away than hoped, and will require pumping to an on-site irrigation pond. An estimated price tag of $200,000 for the well and pumps may be an excess cost, Irons said.

Boughner said the cost includes the extra drilling expense, the pipes running to the pond and installation across the city-owned land.

"It was a cost we knew we were going to incur," Boughner said, adding that it probably wasn't anticipated to be as much.

The drilling first hit water at 50 to 60 feet below the surface, but drilling will go up to 100 feet, he said.

"We were pumping 550 gallons per minute," Boughner said.

The sportsplex needed the well to function at 300 gallons to 400 gallons per minute, he said.

Florence puchasing agent Phil Stevenson said that while water had been found at other drilling spots, tests showed three places did "not recharge at the proper rate." The water source will fill the irrigation pond, which will provide water for the irrigation system to the fields, Stevenson said.

"We actually drilled two wells before construction even started," Boughner said.

Two others were drilled on site, and two others, one of which resulted in the working well, were drilled at the water treatment plant, Boughner said.

"We were concerned with it being so dry," Irons said.

The dry weather hasn't just presented problems for a water source. Stevenson said dry weather and moving earth have been a problematic combination.

Irons said laying down sodding required irrigation to water it, and it may be past growing season, which may throw the schedule behind. Tina Kitchens, parks and recreation director, said another issue with the land itself may cause a delay.

"The rock is what is going to delay it," Kitchens said.

How long a delay, she doesn't know, she said. Stevenson said the unanticipated rock formations were missed during drill sample testing.

"We're working on that, so we'll see how that plays out," Stevenson said.

Despite complications, city officials are pleased with the progress.

"It's coming real well and we're really pleased," Irons said.

Stevenson said that at this point he expects to finish within the contract time, which ends Feburary 2008.

Current projects include the softball complex, moving dirt at the soccer fields, interior work on the building in the baseball pod, building press boxes and work on the parking lots, Stevenson said.

"It's still very busy up there," Stevenson said.

He said the project has been well-coordinated, with different work going on at the same time.

"(That's) one of the very positive signs as far as scheduling goes," Stevenson said.

Sarah Day Owen can be reached at 740-5728.