City of Lamar transitions water supply from City Lake to new well

(From the City of Lamar)

Monday, August 22, 2022, at 8:40 am the City of Lamar officially made the transition of supplying water to the community from the City Lake to the newly constructed well. The City, after discussing the transition for several years was placed under an Administrative Order of Consent by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in August of 2020. The Department had determined the City Lake was past its usable life for a water supply source.

 
The project was engineered by Allgeier, Martin and Associates INC, of Joplin.

The construction project was awarded to Sprouls Construction INC, of Lamar through a competitive bidding process.

 
The new well which provides about 800 gallons of water per minute, is 1200 feet deep and will serve to supply all the City’s water needs. Until a second well can be constructed the City will stay connected to the lake for a redundant water source.

 
The well water entering the Water Treatment Plant today, should begin delivering to the water towers on Tuesday. Staff expects it will take three to five days for the well water to move throughout the system.

 
Lamar’s water supply was originally developed in 1887 by the Lamar Water Company. It was acquired by the City of Lamar in 1912. At that time the water was being drawn from Muddy Creek north of town and settled in basins before being pushed into the community. 

In 1931 a new water treatment plant was built near 6th and Parry Street, still drawing water from the creek. At that time Muddy Creek could not keep up with the 205,000 gallons a day average and two new wells were drilled, one in 1953 and one 1954 to supplement the water supply. Both of those were later taken out of service.

 
In the middle to late 1950’s the Lamar City Lake was constructed to serve as the City’s water supply and the Muddy Creek pump station was abandoned. The current Water Treatment Plant was placed into service in 1977. Until today it drew its water from the lake to be treated and supply nearly 450,000 gallons of fresh water to the community daily.