May 2023 Newsletter: A Letter to Caney Water Prospectus
5/30/2023
5/23/2023
Caney Water Prospectus:
The City of Caney, Kansas is proposing to run a 2-inch PEX line underground that is about 2 miles away from the Caney Water plant and will run across David Deal Sr., David Deal Jr, and US Army Corp land. I spoke with Sherry Miller to discuss the emergency line with her as she is the president of the Public Water Wholesale Supply Dist. #20. Sherry stated that she was fine with the line as long as it was for emergency use only. I then met with Chautauqua Rural Water Dist. # 4 Thursday night the 18th to propose Caney getting water from them in an emergency water shortage situation. The board of Chautauqua #4 looked up their monthly water allowance from Wholesale #20, and the board of Chautauqua #4 was agreeable to allow Caney to connect a 2-inch line to the end of their line for Caney emergency use only. However, the line would have a 15,000-gallon monthly minimum to flush the line weekly to keep the water fresh.
Our proposal is for the water line to run a full 2 inches at night into the Caney Water Plant clear well which could supply up to 50,000 gallons of Caney’s daily water need during water emergency status. The assistance of the emergency line is not to exceed 1,000,000 gallons monthly of the water allotment from Public Water Wholesale #20 allotted to Chautauqua #4. This line will only be used in emergency situations where the City of Caney must begin releasing water for the water plant so Timber Hill Lake will not be the only back up source for Caney. The City of Caney will still be considering connectivity to a more substantial water supply from Copan or Coffeyville as a primary source of water at a later date. However, the emergency line will help greatly for Caney in situations like last summer and fall (2022). The 2-inch line will most likely be needed before a major water supply source is established as Caney needs to replace most of its water distribution lines in town to control its 45% water loss before it starts buying most or all of its water for distribution.
This would make releasing water from Timber Hill Lake a 3rd resource rather than the solo secondary resource for Caney. As the US Army Corp of Engineers is gracious enough to work with the City of Caney and the Public Works staff have already met with the Corp Rangers and set a path for the 2-inch water line.
Respectfully
Kelley R. Zellner CPA
City Administrator
Caney, KS
620-879-2772