MOUNT VERNON — Del-Co Water Company officials briefed the Knox County commissioners during Thursday’s session on activities, plans, and water use related to serving Knox County residents.
The Village of Centerburg switched to Del-Co in October 2018. Over the past three years, the company has added hydrants, installed new PVC lines to replace galvanized/steel and cast iron pipe, and added safety upgrades to the village’s water tank. Additionally, Del-Co installed more than 600 outside meter pits and repaired several service line leaks.
“Through the repairs, we’ve actually been able to reduce the demand in the community by 53%,” Kris Dye, chief business officer, said.
In 2021, the company replaced pipe on South Calhoun and Washington streets as well as North and South Clayton streets. More recently, Del-Co extended a 12-inch water main to the Knox Community Hospital site on Columbus Road and on Barnes Road for existing homes and future building lots.
Plans for this year include replacing lines on South Hartford Avenue between Church and Dally streets in conjunction with the village’s street improvement project. The project includes adding or replacing four or five hydrants.
“We received some infrastructure money to replace lead pipes in the village. That will probably be done this year,” Dye said.
To supply Centerburg and Hilliar Township residents, as well as Morrow County residents, Del-Co draws water from its Thomas Steward treatment plant in Wayne Township. Del-Co bought the 68.7 acres on Bryant and Lucerne roads in 1994.
According to EPA filings, the well field has a production capacity of 5.76 million gallons per day (MGD). The treatment plant capacity is 4.3 MGD.
Del-Co has an agreement with Knox County that the company will not draw more than 4 MGD. According to Glenn Marzluf, chief executive officer, Del-Co is using slightly more than 2 MGD.
“That’s still not anywhere close to what the agreement is for water to be taken out,” he said.
The agreement includes Del-Co monitoring neighborhood wells to make sure the company is not depleting the aquifer.
Dye said the company has updated its 20-year master plan and is developing a 10-year financial sustainability model. She said projected average day demand will increase from 13.5 MGD in 2020 to 30.2 MGD in 2040. That equals a 63 MGD increase in total treatment plant capacity.
She noted that in evaluating Del-Co’s capacity fees, the consultant said they were appropriate and in line with supporting revenue requirements.
The company plans to invest $130 million over the next 20 years in distribution upgrades and treatment plant expansions. The Thomas Steward service area is slated to get $49.5 million, with the largest chunk ($19.7 million) coming around 2035.
In addition to the Thomas Steward plant, Del-Co operates the Olentangy (Scioto River and O’Shaughnessy Reservoir water sources) and Ralph E. Scott (Alum Creek Reservoir) plants. The company will partner with Columbus on the city’s fourth plant, which will be in Concord Township near Home Road.
The nonprofit cooperative utility has over 50,000 connections and serves eight counties: Delaware, Morrow, Marion, Union, Knox, Franklin, Crawford, and Licking.
