Westville outlines multi‑year water‑system upgrade, including rebuilt wells and new filters

Presiding officials and utilities staff told the Westville Town Council that the town’s water system will undergo extensive upgrades starting in the coming weeks.

Utilities staff reported a sizeable increase in water use last month and said service to a nearby correctional facility had contributed to higher volumes. Staff described ongoing work to close out punch‑list items on a wastewater improvement project and to address warranty repairs on equipment. "The water plant will basically be almost a completely new water treatment facility," utilities staff said, adding that the town expects to reconstruct both existing wells, install two new side‑by‑side standby generators for redundancy, recondition two filters and replace miles of water main.

The presentation set an early mobilization timeline: staff said a contractor is expected to mobilize in roughly three to four weeks, drill two new wells, and begin in‑plant construction to allow space for new filters. Officials described the overall program as a major, multi‑year effort likely to extend beyond two years.

Councilors also discussed preparatory engineering steps: soil borings have been completed for a proposed 500,000‑gallon tower and engineers are evaluating footing depths and tower type. Utilities staff cautioned there are punch‑list items and warranty repairs from recent work that must be closed out before some handoffs.

The council did not take additional policy votes on the water‑system plan during the meeting; staff said financing and specific construction contracts would be brought forward for approval in later sessions. "We're gearing up for the water plant," utilities staff said. The speaker also described operational steps to maintain service during construction, including temporary electrical and pumping arrangements.

Implementation notes and uncertainties: the verbal report named a contractor mobilizing soon, but the transcript contains inconsistent wording for the contractor name; the town’s staff summary here therefore omits a firm contractor name. Staff projected the work will include new wells, rebuilt existing wells and major mains but did not provide a firm total project budget or funding source during this meeting.

What happens next: Utilities staff will return with contract details, firm schedules and funding plans for council review and formal action at a future meeting.