CURRENT AND PENDING WELL CONSTRUCTION LOCATIONS: Mill Spring, Missouri; Carter County PWSD #1; Fisk, Missouri; Annapolis, Missouri

DESCRIPTION:

Heartland Engineering has been involved in the recent design and construction of multiple new water supply wells across southern Missouri. Members of our staff have been involved in the design of municipal and commercial wells for over 25 years. Water is one of the most critical resources and our team has been happy to be involved in projects where we can help improve clean drinking water access for local communities.

The Village of Mill Spring in Wayne County, Missouri received a $4.2-million dollar drinking water infrastructure grant as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Mill Spring is a regional water utility provider that serves village residents and also provides the majority of water for Wayne County PWSD #3, including the Clearwater Lake Corps of Engineers Campground. The primary water source for all of these customers has long been a single deep rock well located in the hills above Mill Spring that was constructed in the 1990's. Heartland Engineering assisted the village of Mill Spring with planning and design to both rehabilitate the existing infrastructure and construct a new deep rock water supply well, wellhouse, and storage tank. Basic automation is being added so that in the future, calls for water production will alternate between the two wells. This will help prolong the life of equipment and also provide increased water security. The project, which also includes various distribution system repairs and new master metering entered the construction phase at the start of 2025 and is planned to be complete within the first half of 2026.

The City of Fisk is a small, regional water provider near Poplar Bluff that provides water utilities to approximately 175 city customers and sells water to Butler County PWSD #104.  The city obtains water from two shallow wells in conjunction with an iron-removal treatment facility. Since initial construction, the water infrastructure at Fisk has gradually deteriorated from normal use to the point where only one well can be relied upon for water production and the treatment facility is in great need of repairs. Heartland assisted the city with obtaining grant and low-interest loan funds through the Missouri DNR State Revolving Fund (SRF). The two old wells at Fisk will be closed and two new shallow wells with pitless units will be constructed. The treatment facility will also receive significant repairs and upgrades to help ensure a steady water supply for many years to come. Construction of the Fisk project began in May 2025 and is scheduled to be completed by February 2026.

Carter County PWSD #1 serves residents living in the unincorporated area of South Van Buren and borders the scenic Current River. Much of the water district's infrastructure dates back to the 1960's. The original water supply well no longer provides sufficient pressure or flow to serve residents. An additional well was constructed in the 1990's, which has served as the primary water source ever since. For many years now, any power outage or well pump failure has meant an interruption in water supply for customers. Heartland Engineering worked with the water district to devise an infrastructure improvements plan. Funding was obtained from the Missouri DNR SRF program. Our engineers designed a new 1,100 foot deep rock well, complete with pitless unit, well house, and booster pump station to provide much improved water supply. Remaining funds will be used to replace the old distribution system piping and provide the district with a backup power generator. The project will be submitted for permitting in the middle part of 2025, with construction anticipated to begin later in the year.

Finding a reliable and safe water supply has been an ongoing issue for many years in Annapolis, Missouri. The city is isolated to the point where water regionalization is not a realistic possibility. And, unfortunately, the deep rock aquifers in the area are known for both meager water supply and the presence of potentially harmful levels of radionuclides. Until approximately 2005 the city operated two shallow wells along with an iron removal pressure filtration plant. It was then determined by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that the shallow wells were likely under the direct influence of surface water, and therefore subject to potential contamination from upstream sources. Since that time, the city has constructed multiple deep rock wells with limited success. Water supply from the deep wells dropped off significantly in the years after initial construction and the observed concentrations of radionuclides have risen. The situation became so dire that the city was forced to purchase water from neighboring districts by filling up a tanker truck and transporting water back to Annapolis. Heartland Engineering began working with the city in the middle part of 2024. An emergency exception was obtained from Missouri DNR for the construction of yet another deep rock well in hopes of providing the city with enough water to get by long enough for a long-term solution to be implemented. Our team studied the existing water system and put together a preliminary engineering report which will be used as part of a funding application package to obtain the funds necessary to construct the project. Plans include a shallow well to be constructed near the banks of the local creek. This source water will feed into a traditional surface water treatment plant consisting of chemical pre-treatment, coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, and disinfection. This will provide the city with ample water supply for present and future needs and the ability to safely treat the water for residents.