Water system improvements was an important topic of discussion at Monday night’s Pilot Grove City Council meeting.

Currently, Pilot Grove receives their water supply by two state-approved wells. The water, after going through treatment, is pumped into a 75,000 gallon elevated storage tank. According to a report issued by Mike Logston of Meco Engineering Co., “this storage tank is in good condition, having no visible leaks or places where the sanitary condition of the water could be compromised.”

The problem is the that volume of water stored is adequate for daily use, but the tank is not nearly large enough for fire protection. It wouldn’t be possible to add on to the tank, and the amount of water that would be in reserve would not justify the construction of a brand new tank.

In addition to a tank too small for water reserve, there are a number of limitations to the water system. Most of the pipes that run circulation of the water are made out of Cast Iron Pipe (CIP). The problem with CIP is that over time it develops “encrustations and tuberculation” inside of the pipe. The pipes, which are 4-inch in diameter, or smaller, can have its capacity reduced by up to 50 percent because of the build-up. This causes water pressure to be significantly decreased during peak periods of use.

To read the rest of the story, see BSN's May 6 print edition.