At the Jan. 16 meeting, the Pierre City Commission approved the purchase of different screens for Pierre’s Water Treatment Plant. These screens are better suited to remove algae growth and other organic materials that naturally exist in the water source.
The original screens were designed to remove sediment and sand.
“The existing screens keep sediment, as well as moss and weeds out, but those organic materials tend to clog up those screens. The new ones will still remove all the materials and are much easier to keep clean,” said Gidget Palmer, City of Pierre Project Manager.
The new screens and associated parts cost approximately $27,000. Each of the four screens is expected to last up to ten years.
The treatment plant uses raw Missouri River surface water. Six different processes are used to screen, clean, and disinfect the water prior to distributing it for consumption. This includes a microfiltration process that helps ensure all federal and state drinking water standards are met.
In 2020, the Pierre City Commission approved the design for the $37.5 million water treatment plant. That approval followed a 2018 public vote which showed 73% approval of the City’s plan to transition from well water to treated Missouri River surface water.