January 11, 2024 |
Photo – Sage Creek Springs – Bigfoot99 file photo
Despite receiving less snow this winter, the springs that provide Rawlins with water are doing well, the city manager reports.
Early 2023 winter storms dumped large amounts of snow on Wyoming. Over the spring and summer, melting snow filled underground aquafers across the county.
Rawlins, like most municipalities in Carbon County, relies on snowmelt to replenish the springs that provide the city with fresh drinking water.
During the January 2nd Rawlins city council meeting, Councilman Bruce Seilaff asked about the state of the Sage Creek Springs. City Manager Tom Sarvey said the lack of significant snowfall this winter has not affected the springs negatively. Sarvey said the aquafers tend to run on a two-year cycle of drought and abundance.
Last winter, city officials approved the reopening of the long-dormant pretreatment plant. Built in the year 2000, the pretreatment plant was constructed to pull water from the North Platte River. Over the past 20 years, the plant has operated sporadically. In late 2022, Y2 Consulting of Jackson, Wyoming, was hired to bring the unused pretreatment back online in working order.
The city’s existing water treatment plant can’t handle the amount of particulate matter in the river water. When operational, the pretreatment plant will remove the turbidity before sending the water to the treatment plant for further processing.
During the January 2nd Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Sarvey said the pretreatment plant can be activated if the springs aren’t able to keep up with the city’s demand for water. However, Sarvey said he is confident that the springs will operate efficiently through this winter.
Sarvey said he’ll have more information about the state of the city’s water supply during the next council meeting on January 15th.
