By Rebecca Goldfine,Staff Writer

PARIS – A decision on whether to refurbish the old reservoir or build a new one will be before the Paris Utility District board members July 17.

Members will have scanned an engineer’s report that details both options and their costs then take a vote.

Refurbishing the old tank will cost $700,000. To build a new 800,000-gallon tank will run around $1 million. District Manager Steve Arnold said he will try to secure a half-million dollar community development block grant. He said the rest of the money could come from federal loans or grants.

Shortly after the district discovered E. coli in its water last November, forcing residents to boil their drinking water for seven days, the district shut down one of its reservoirs on Clark Hill. Inspectors discovered that its cover was pitted with holes and the walls were cracking. Although this is the likely source of contamination, the bacteria’s origin is still a mystery. It might also have been pumped in through the wells.

E. coli is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, and its presence in a public water supply can indicate fecal contamination, which if ingested can make people sick.

Arnold said he thinks it’s probable the board will opt for a new reservoir.

“More than likely, because of the amount, and looking at the long-term benefit, we would probably sway more toward putting a new tank in there,” Arnold said recently. “It’s a 100-year fix.”

Refurbishing the 2.5-million gallon tank would require adding additional inches to the wall, which is too thin by today’s standards. Arnold said thickening the walls is almost like building an entirely new one, but without the 100-year guarantee.

The district has been pumping water from its 500,000-gallon reservoir on Hooper Ledge Road as well as using its water tower, which provides an additional 200,000 gallons that serves Paris Hill.

Although this is adequate storage to provide water to residents, there is not enough stored water in case of a fire.

“We’re on an emergency plan now,” Penny Lowe of the district said Friday. If the Fire Department is called to fight a fire, the district has to turn on the well pump.

The additional tank is also necessary to deal with future expansions in Paris and will save in pumping costs.

After the E. coli was detected in one of the two wells, the district spent about $25,000 cleaning them both. The state then demanded the district complete a report on the whole system by June 30, with a plan to ensure the system would be made sound. This study and report cost an additional $22,000.

Starting July 1, the district’s 1,100 or so customers will see a rate increase of 42 percent, or about $12 more on their quarterly bill. The increase, which will cover operating expenses, comes in part because it’s the first rate increase in eight years, as well as from the unexpected costs resulting from the E. coli scare.

And will the new expenses resulting from the reservoir construction, which Arnold said he hopes to start by next spring, affect people’s water bills?

“They could expect one,” within two or three years, Lowe said about another possible rate increase. “I would hope it wouldn’t be 42 percent, but we don’t have any projected costs for the new reservoir.”