The mission of the El Dorado Public Utilities Department is to provide the citizens of El Dorado with a broad spectrum of Utility services, including: a fiscally sound drinking water production facility; proactive maintenance and enhancement of the water distribution system and sewer collection system; and a wastewater treatment facility that produces an effluent that meets or exceeds all state and federal regulations.
Water meters come in various sizes and the following information will help you choose the best size for your needs.
1" Meter – We have recommended the 1" meter for new construction for the last 25 years, therefore it is the most common size meter in newer developments. Flow capabilities are 50 gallons per minute. This is usually adequate to supply household needs and a sprinkler system. Cost - $450 installed and $100 refund on trade-in. ($350 net cost if upgrading from a ¾" meter.)
1.5" Meter – More typical in commercial applications or large sprinkler systems. Flow capabilities are 100 gallons per minute. Cost - $100 over our cost to install.
2" Meter – Commercial Applications and large sprinkler systems. Flow capabilities are 200 gallons per minute. Cost - $100 over our cost to install.
For more information, contact Water Distribution/Sewer Maintenance Superintendent Gary Taylor at 316-321-9100, or email to gary@eldoks.com.
What is Inflow & Infiltration?
Infiltration and Inflow, commonly referred to as I & I, can best be described as water that enters the City’s sanitary sewer system that should not be there. This would include sump pumps in homes that pump directly to the sanitary sewer system; guttering downspouts or roof drains piped directly to the sanitary sewer system; and area drains in driveways, stairways and window wells etc. All of these contribute to the I & I problem.
I & I places a tremendous financial responsibility on municipalities, and eventually costs individual ratepayers more on their monthly bills.
For more information, Inflow and Infiltration brochures are available at City Hall or the Public Utilities Department.
If my sump pump water doesn’t go
in the sanitary sewer, where should it go?
There are a multitude of uses for water pumped from the sump pump. The water is generally very clean because of the natural filtration of the home’s under drain system; so many people pipe it out to a water garden in the backyard. This keeps cool, clean, chlorine-free water in the garden without you having to fill it.
If you are not into water gardens, the water can be piped to flowerbeds, trees, and lawn or even piped to the storm sewer drains or curbs along the street.
A sump pump running only once every hour can
contribute 840 gallons per day to I & I.
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If you have a sewer problem, call us first. If you have a problem with your sewer backing up, we urge citizens to call 321-9100 before calling a plumber. Callback personnel are available after hours. We will check the City sewer first (at no expense to the customer) to determine whether it is the City’s main that is plugged or the homeowner's service line. Sewer lines are gravity flow and therefore debris can cause restrictions. Our sewer maintenance team operates a sewer flusher truck year-round and flushes nearly 200,000 feet of sewer mains each year. |
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The City of
Many sewer problems are due to the customer’s service line being plugged. If this is the case, our personnel will inform you that the homeowner or a plumber must take care of the problem.
A small amount of Copper Sulfate will kill tree roots growing into your service line without killing the tree. Tree roots are the most common cause of blockages to the homeowners service line.
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A top filling bulk water dispenser is available at the Water Treatment Plant to fill water tanks. The bulk water dispenser dispenses about 200 gallons for $0.25. It is unlawful to fill from any hydrant other than the one located at
the Water Treatment Plant. This hydrant must be tended by authorized
personnel and is protected from back-flows with a backflow preventer. If a customer needs to fill a tank from the fire hydrant, there is a $10.00 minimum charge per load. Unless bulk dispenser is inoperable, in which case the customer will be billed using the above rates. |
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Where does your water come from? The City of |
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Water pressure in
Water pressure leaving the Water Treatment Plant is 90 – 95 psi when the pumps are running. However, the pumps do not run continuously, they cycle on and off to fill the water towers as needed. The elevated storage (water towers) provides pressure when the pumps are not running.
If you feel you do not have adequate water pressure contact us to have your pressure tested. We can determine whether pressure is within an acceptable range and if it is not, we can determine whether the pressure loss is in the City main or the homeowners system.
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The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is your best source of water quality
information. This brochure is loaded with information on the City of Protecting
Our Drinking Water The superior quality of El Dorado Water Treatment Facility’s drinking water is the result of a combination of the proper operation of a multistage treatment facility and a laboratory that performs 2,500 monthly tests on samples taken during the treatment process and throughout the 100 miles of distribution system piping. Our
Personnel |
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Why does
To have great tasting water it certainly helps to have great source water.
El Dorado Reservoir is fairly young reservoir, only 21 years old. The drainage
basin above
Treatment is also very good at the El Dorado Water Treatment Facility. Chemical dosages are scrutinized daily and sophisticated instrumentation keeps a close watch on water quality. Another aide in achieving great tasting water is the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC). PAC absorbs many of the musty odors associated with surface water, and is then filtered out in the dual media filters.
We all know that water is important but did you know that...
- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
- In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
- Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
- One glass of water shuts down
midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a
- Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
- Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
- A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
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The majority of cities in |
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Annual
Disinfection of the Distribution System
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends all cities switch from chloramines to free chlorine for at least one week a year to thoroughly disinfect the distribution system. The type of chlorine normally in the water, chloramines, has no chlorine taste or odor, which most people prefer, but it is not as powerful a disinfectant as free chlorine. Most people notice the change in the taste of the water for about a week. After the week of free chlorine, we follow with our annual hydrant-flushing program. The flushing, scours and cleans water distribution system lines; allows us to check proper operation of fire hydrants; and gets rid of the free chlorine in the water, responsible for the taste and odor problems.
Algae Taste
and Odor Problems
Algae taste and odor problems are usually not a problem in
PERSONNEL
- Kurt Bookout, Director - Phone: 316-321-9100, ext. 240, Fax: 316-321-1898, Email: wildcat@eldoks.com
- Brett Perry, Water and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent - Phone: 316-321-9100, ext. 241, Fax: 316-321-1898, Email: bperry@eldoks.com
- Gary Taylor, Water Distribution & Sewer Maintenance Supt. - Phone: 316-321-9100, ext. 240, Fax: 316-321-1898, Email: gary@eldoks.com
- Judy McIntosh, Administrative Secretary - Phone: 316-321-9100, ext. 111, Fax: 316-321-6282, Email: judy@eldoks.com