Site work and new construction of a civil project in Newark, Delaware. Conceptual plans call for the construction of a water / sewer project; and for site work for a water / sewer project.

This project will fund the design and construction of a new drinking water treatment plant or supply configuration changes necessary for the reliable supply for the existing treatment plant, capable of processing the existing public supply wells in the City's Laird Tract Well Field (LTWF). The wells, installed in 1971 (Wells 23 & 25) and 1990 (Well 20 & 21), pumped groundwater directly into the system with no filtration; however, as government regulations were developed and due to the City's commitment to providing high quality drinking water, the Laird well water is no longer adequate for direct distribution. Specifically, the water quality of the wells consists of elevated levels of iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide, none of which present a risk to human health but do result in poor aesthetics (i.e. taste, color, odor). The reintroduction of the LTWF wells would provide the City with up to 1.5 million gallons per day, which becomes more important in times of drought, when we would be able to continue to draw up to 1.5 mgd when our creek passby requirements are not being met and our surface water intake is shut down. Alternatives include additional feeds that would introduce well water to the Newark Reservoir, which can have nutrient problems due to pumping of nutrient rich water from our surface water intake. We anticipate testing and rehabilitating the wells in 2020 along with the design of the collection system upgrades with the full project being constructed in 2021. The wells located in, or adjacent to, the protected lands of the White Clay Creek State Park provide the City a reliable long-term water supply solution. The parkland surrounding the LTWF is in direct contrast to the City's South Well Field Treatment Plant (SWF) where the land use is predominantly commercial/industrial resulting in higher risk of contamination. We have submitted an application for funding through the State Revolving Loan Fund based on the successful passage of the 2018 Referendum. We anticipate being eligible for Project Planning Advances and Planning Grants to help offset the costs of planning and design. As of February 21, 2022, this project is included in the City of Newark FY 2022-2026 CIP. Information regarding a design team and the contractor selection has not been disclosed. A firm timeline for construction has not been established. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.