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Lindon public-works update: cemetery well development, backup generators, Provo River Aqueduct connection and canal questions
Summary
Public works reported progress on a cemetery well drilling and upcoming well development schedule, installation of backup generators for key wells and booster pumps, completion of a Provo River Aqueduct connection, and ongoing questions about converting canal easements to trails.
Lindon public works staff told the City Council Jan. 6 that a new well at the city cemetery has finished drilling and will next enter a development phase expected to last roughly six weeks, and that the road closure related to drilling should end by Friday.
Public works reported the drilling contractor will demobilize and a well-development contractor will return around mid-January. Development work is expected to run about six weeks, Monday through Friday, 8 to 10 hours per day, after which test flows and decisions about surface structures and permitting will follow. Staff cautioned that development does not mean immediate water production; test flows and additional work must be completed first.
Council heard that two wells (Well 1 and Well 3) are being rebuilt and will receive backup generators to provide water during prolonged power outages. With the planned upgrades, staff said production could reach about 1,400 gallons per minute, which should supply essential indoor needs for the community during an extended outage though outdoor irrigation may need to be limited.
Public works also reported the Provo River Aqueduct (PRA) connection is complete and will be used during next year's irrigation season. Staff outlined a plan to run the canal one more year while minimizing Lindon's contribution to better observe actual canal flows. They said irrigation-company shareholder meetings in February will finalize delivery plans and that the city is calculating how many irrigation shares translate to acre-feet or cubic feet per second to confirm PRA capacity needs (staff cited an estimate of about 5 to 6 cubic-feet-per-second as a working figure).
Council members asked about liability and easements related to the North Union Canal and whether sections could be converted to trails. Staff said many canal easements are prescriptive and limited to water transport; in several stretches, the rights run through private backyards and do not include recreational trail rights. An earlier study by Orem concluded that converting the canal to a continuous trail would be infeasible in many places because of easement restrictions.
Other public-works notes included a schedule for well-development crews and a reminder that work phases may create gaps in visible activity for residents; staff advised that the road would reopen before development crews begin and that residents might observe little activity for several weeks while crews re-mobilize.
Why it matters Well development, backup power and the PRA connection affect the city's water reliability and emergency preparedness. Easement and liability issues influence long-term options for converting canal corridors to trails.
Next steps Public works will proceed with well development and generator installations, finalize PRA delivery planning with irrigation shareholders in February, and report back to council on test-flow results and any proposed capital or easement changes.
