It is no secret that water levels have been low in Wichita Falls for a while now. Midwestern is taking precautions to ensure water supply resources are put into effect.

“The lakes are at a low level (<40 percent) so we need to conserve,” Assistant Director of Facilities Services Rich Frank said. “Limited amount, lots of demand, and no rain to restock the supply.”

According to Kyle Owen, associate vice president of facilities services, MSU will build a recovery system to pump the water out of the two wells MSU already has, store it, and then distribute it to two sand based football fields. Because the fields are sand-based it is harder to irrigate them.

“The sand based football fields use a lot of water,” Frank said. “They will not survive on five hours of irrigation a week.”

Frank also said if the fields had to be replaced because they didn’t survive it would take over $40,000 a piece to replace them. “We need to protect our investment just like the city is doing by watering the city’s golf greens,” he said.

Owen agrees that the well system construction will be beneficial to MSU as well. “It is  a great idea to preserve the investment we have in these fields without detracting from the city’s water supply”.

Not only is MSU protecting its investment, but its students as well. “Keeping the fields well irrigated minimizes the risk of injury to anyone using them which is another big plus,” Frank said.

One of the wells is located in the northeast area of the football fields and the other one is south of the soccer fields.

“The equipment to pump and distribute the water would be located due west of the fenced electrical equipment area between the soccer and football fields,” he said. “The two wells have been tested to deliver a combined supply of over 70 gallons per minute of water. The water will be pumped and stored in a tank and used on a daily basis.”

According to Owen, MSU will lower our dependence on city water to keep their two fields alive, which he said will save Midwestern money in the long run.

“The use of well water instead of city water means we would save money to pay for the equipment within two years,” Frank said.

Since MSU wouldn’t be using near as much of the city’s water it will leave more water for the Wichita Falls residents, pointed out Owen.

“The well will tap into the Seymour Aquifer,” said Julie Gaynor, director of marketing and public information. “The cost will be $75,000 and will be funded by utility savings from FY13 and FY14.”

The Board of Regents approved the funding of the well Friday, Feb 15.

“[The cost] includes the system (down-hole pumps, tanks, distribution pump, underground piping, a “walking” sprinkler, electrical power for the system to operate, and all the controls equipment for proper operation) and the system design,” Owen explained.

The construction of this project will start before June 1, 2013.