Tours being given this evening at Pierre’s new drinking water treatment plant

JUNE 21, 2023:

The water has been flowing since December and this evening (June 21, 2023), the public has the chance to see the inside of Pierre’s new drinking water treatment plant.

Tours will be given from 5-7pm and run every 30 minutes.

In December 2022, the facility started distributing potable water, and by mid-January 2023 the transition from ground water to treated Missouri River surface water was complete. On average, the plant produced about 2.72 million gallons of water a day. However, the plant has additional capacity to serve Pierre well into the future. Maximum production capacity is 8.8 million gallons a day.

JUNE 14, 2023:

The water has been flowing since December, but a ribbon cutting ceremony and public tours were held yesterday (June 13, 2023) at Pierre’s new drinking water treatment plant (821 W. Dakota Avenue).

Mayor Steve Harding says after a community vote showed strong support for improving water quality, they considered six different locations to build the $37.5 million facility.

Photo credit Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Photo credit Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Pierre Mayor Steve Harding.
Photo credit Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Pierre Project Manager Gidget Palmer.
Photo credit Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

JUNE 13, 2023:

The City of Pierre is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by tours today (June 13, 2023) at 1pm at the new drinking water treatment plant (821 W. Dakota Avenue).

JUNE 8, 2023:

The City of Pierre is hosting two separate public events this month at its new Drinking Water Treatment Facility.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday (June 13, 2023) at 1pm at the plant (821 W. Dakota Avenue). Following that, will be a facility tour.

On June 21, the public will have another opportunity to tour the facility. Tours will start at 5pm and run every 30 minutes until 7pm.

In December 2022, the facility started distributing potable water, and by mid-January 2023 the transition from ground water to treated Missouri River surface water was complete.

On average, the plant produced about 2.72 million gallons of water a day. However, the plant has additional capacity to serve Pierre well into the future. Maximum production capacity is 8.8 million gallons a day.

“This project was voted in by the public, and I want people to have a chance to see what their utility rates are paying for,” said Pierre Mayor Steve Harding. “I don’t think anyone will be disappointed.”

Following a community survey that showed Pierre citizens were interested in improved drinking water, the City of Pierre commissioned a study to provide options for a new water treatment process. The study recommended the City build a water treatment facility near the Missouri River highway bridge. In June 2018, the City Commission put the project to a public vote; it was approved by 73% of voters. In July 2020, the Commission approved the design for the $37.5 million project.

Courtesy photo.

DECEMBER 7, 2022:

The City of Pierre started pumping water from its new Water Treatment Plant yesterday (Dec. 6, 2022), but distribution to the entire town will take a few weeks to complete.

She says people will notice a gradual change in their water over the next two to three weeks as the old water makes its way out of the system.

Palmer says once the transition is complete and the well water has been cleared from the system, people will start to notice softer water with less mineral content, rust remover shouldn’t be needed and people can likely reduce the amount of water softener salt they use.

The beginning of distribution from the water treatment plant marks the switch from the Pierre’s previous well water source to the new treatment process using Missouri River surface water. The new plant is located near the Missouri River bridge in the southwest part of Pierre.

DECEMBER 6, 2022:

The City of Pierre started pumping water from its new Water Treatment Plant today (Dec. 6, 2022), but distribution to the entire town will take a few weeks to complete.

City Project Manager Gidget Palmer says it’s not possible to shut off well water and turn on treated water using the same pipes, so the two sources will comingle in the distribution system for a bit. She says people will notice a gradual change in their water over the next two to three weeks as the old water makes its way out of the system.

Palmer says to help expedite the transition, Pierre is flushing water from hydrants, but no action is required from the general population. She says once the transition is complete and the well water has been cleared from the system, people will start to notice softer water with less mineral content, rust remover shouldn’t be needed and people can likely reduce the amount of water softener salt they use.

Courtesy photo.

JANUARY 13, 2022:

So far, the building of Pierre’s new drinking water treatment plant hasn’t been slowed down because of product shortages or shipping problems.

Darin Pfingsten is president and owner of PKG Contracting, Inc., the Construction Manager at Risk for the project.

From intake at the Missouri River to the pumps that will push the treated water out to our faucets, Pfingsten says there’s about three-quarters of a mile of pipe.

Construction of Pierre’s new drinking water treatment plant started in August 2020. The project is scheduled for completion in October 2022.

In June 2018, 70% of the Pierre residents who voted approved spending more than $37-million to replace Pierre’s current well system with a drinking water treatment facility. Since then, residential and commercial water fees have been incrementally increased to help pay for the new facility.