Council mulls watering options for flex fields

Recent rains have slowed progress at the city’s athletic complex, but the parking lot is now paved and striped, with lights and landscaping to follow soon, Utilities Superintendent Thad Konrad reported at the city council’s Monday meeting. Work will also begin on the tennis courts and bike path.

Now the city must decide how best to water the complex’s two flex fields — either by digging a 400 foot deep well to feed an irrigation pond or by using Lewis & Clark water. The four ball diamonds would be watered with city water.

Councilman Sid Munson, who also serves as the city’s representative on the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System board of directors, pointed out that the $33,000 estimate from Dave Putzke Well Drilling & Repair, Inc. to dig the well does not offer any information on life expectancy or water quality.

“As long as we have good, affordable, clean water [through Lewis & Clark], I think we use it until it goes away,” Munson said. “It’s expensive to dig and run a well and continuously pump water up.”

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