Livingston hires firm for preliminary engineering of municipal Well No. 7 to boost redundancy

The Livingston City Commission approved a time-and-materials professional-services agreement with TDNH Engineering to perform preliminary engineering work toward a seventh municipal well.

Why the city is moving forward: City Manager Grant Gager said the city’s water model shows the system currently has capacity for substantial residential growth but that bringing a new municipal well online is a long, costly process. Gager said the city has previously included a seventh well in capital plans and that impact fees collected over recent years were intended, in part, to help pay for a future well. He added that the hospital and a private landowner (the Watson family) have been engaged as potential site partners.

Scope of the work: The engineering agreement (agreement 20232) covers topographic and boundary surveys, hydrogeologic assessment of two candidate areas, review of water rights, exploratory testing and an initial design and permitting-level package. The staff packet lists a not‑to‑exceed amount of $94,008.72 for the preliminary engineering phase.

Redundancy and risk: Staff emphasized redundancy as a primary driver. The commission heard that the hospital is currently served by a transmission line across the Veterans Bridge; staff said if that single crossing were compromised during a flood or similar emergency, the hospital and other parts of town could face significant service challenges. A new well plus completion of a planned Bennett Street loop would give the system more resilience, staff said.

Costs and timeline: Gager said prior well projects and current cost estimates place construction in the multiple‑million‑dollar range; staff described the $94,008.72 contract as a preliminary step that does not include construction. Commissioners asked how the preliminary work fits with impact-fee proceeds and with the city’s Bennett Street loop project; staff said the study will refine cost estimates and help the city pursue funding and permitting.

Public comment and questions: A caller asked whether a riverside site could be vulnerable to flooding and whether the location on Watson land (alternate site) had been cleared with the Watson family. Staff said flood‑elevation and wellhead elevation will be considered in final engineering, that wellheads are designed to prevent surface infiltration and that the Watson family had discussed alternative locations with the city. Water staff said modern wellheads are tightly sealed and that they observed no surface-water infiltration into drinking-water supplies during the 2022 flood event.

Commission action: Commissioner Woolich moved to approve the TDNH Engineering agreement; the motion was seconded and carried. Staff will proceed with the preliminary engineering work and return with findings, cost estimates and recommendations for funding.