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City administrator J.C. Moser explains the city’s well field operations to representatives from Filtra Systems for a possible test of a new filtration system. Bob Henline | The Cordell Beacon
In an effort to reduce the amount of water the city purchases from Foss Reservoir every month, the City of New Cordell is experimenting with a new filtration system which may allow the city to use water from its own well fields to supplement the city’s drinking water.
The test will be conducted on what is commonly known as Cordell’s new well field, which is just west of town and slightly north of Highway 152. The field currently provides the irrigation water for the Crooked Creek Golf Course, but could be used to supplement the city’s drinking water supply if the nitrate levels can be successfully reduced.
The new technology, a resin filtration system developed by Filtra Systems, will theoretically filter out those excess nitrates and bring the water into compliance with Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality standards for drinking water. The technology, though, has not yet been certified by the DEQ or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and that’s the point of the experiment.
The well field in Cordell has three active wells that all feed into one large tank. That tank pushes water to the golf course for irrigation, but the flow stops there, it doesn’t connect to the city’s drinking water supply.
During the walk-through of the site Thursday, Sept. 5, the engineers from Filtra Systems were excited by the set-up, describing it as “perfect” for their needs. Should the city council approve the test, the company will set up a filter where the storage tank pushes water out to the golf course. They will then test the water going into, and coming out of, the filter. Those samples will be sent to DEQ and EPA for indpendent testing.
Should those agencies certify the new technology, the city could then bring the wells online to enhance the city’s potable water supply and reduce or even eliminate the overage fees the city pays to Foss Water Master Conservancy District on a monthly basis. Cordell city administrator J.C. Moser said during high-use times, those overage fees can be in excess of $6,000 monthly to the city.
City council president Steve McLaughlin said he’s in favor of moving forward with the testing.
“Hopefully this helps us be able to use these wells so we can reduce our overage with Foss,” he said. “We just have to keep trying things until we see what works, it’s a process of trial and error. I am honestly excited to see if it works.”