New well will fight city's water woes

Randy Brixley from Keller and Associates opens a main valve to connect Well 15 to the rest of the city's water system during a test June 16. It marked the first time that water from the new well tied into the city's underground water network, which provides thousands of gallons of water to Mountain Home every minute. Photo by Brian S. Orban

Following more than a year and a half of construction in a project marked by occasional delays and a few setbacks, the beginning all came down to the push of a button.

Power flowing into the motor at one end of the room brought the system to life. The motor's initial whine settled into a stead hum, making it a little challenging for people to talk to one another inside the building.

After a few moments, a heavy stream of water spewed from a section of metal pipe running into a collection tank. As the flow of water began to ebb, workers monitored the system's progress as they redirected the water stream into another section of interconnected pipes leading toward the front of the facility.

Although the recent system check was just a test, it represented another step to bring the city's newest well online.

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