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Resident reports failing well on Ryan Road; commission directs staff to survey 92nd Street area
Summary
Leo Turner described a failing private well on West Ryan Road with current production "1 gallon or less per minute" and rising static-water-level depth; the commission directed staff to survey 92nd Street to the 9700 block of West Ryan Road to evaluate a possible extension of city water.
Resident Leo Turner told the board he has experienced recurring failures of his private well, with production down to "1 gallon or less per minute" and the static water level dropping from about 60 feet below ground to 100 feet below since 2022. "After I spoke at the board meeting that month, we had to replace our valve pump due to over half its impellers," Turner said, adding that the household sometimes runs out of water and must wait 24 hours for the well to recover and several days to resume normal household activities.
Turner said he had consulted a Wisconsin DNR well specialist, who offered three options: increasing casing diameter and drilling deeper (potentially beyond the capacity/cost limits identified by his driller), drilling a new shared well on a neighboring property (uncertain and potentially expensive), or asking the city to extend water down the street. Turner estimated an earlier survey put the cost to run water in front of his property at roughly $22,000 for the main and a similar figure for the lateral, totaling about $44,000–$46,000 (figures cited as historical estimates and not guaranteed).
Staff said the Ryan Road issue is part of an internal discussion about filling a missing loop in the system toward that southwest corner of the service area and described coordination needs with public works paving schedules. Staff estimated a possible project to fully extend the main to that segment could be in the multi-million-dollar range depending on alignment and scope.
The commission voted to direct staff to survey residents on 92nd Street to the 9700 block of West Ryan Road to assess interest, technical feasibility and financing options. The motion passed unanimously.
Next steps identified at the meeting: staff will survey the affected properties, prepare maps and cost examples, and return with findings so the commission and the common council can consider whether to pursue an extension and how it would be funded (special assessment, tariff, developer funding, or other options).
