New well being eased onto system

Webb City’s new well is gradually beginning to pump water into the city’s system.

Getting the well on line has taken longer than expected, but City Administrator Carl Francis told City Council members Monday that the water being pumped from the new tests well. 

He added that it appears to be capable of producing 450 gallons per minute, but that won’t be known for certain until it is pumping full blast for an extended period. The variable is whether the level of the “bowl” of water it’s drawing from stays level or falls during pumping.

The well is located on land the city purchased along Homestead Drive, just west of Webb City Health and Rehabilitation. It was drilled in 2020, but initial bids for a well house were rejected. The staff, with council approval, opted to have city employees do most of the work. 

The new well could save the city money if it allows the city to buy less water from Missouri American each month. Francis says the city purchases between $20,000 and $50,000 worth of water from Missouri American each month.

“We enjoy our partnership with Missouri American as a backup source,” says Francis, but “we’re hoping to spend less with them.”

Now that getting the new well is practically done, the staff is investigating the likelihood of restarting up an old well. Francis says there is a technical problem with the well below the big water tower which has kept it from contributing to the system for decades. But there may be a way now to fix it.