Water & Wastewater
Management of Public Utilities
The Public Works Department manages our water and wastewater systems. Our highly trained staff operates a wastewater treatment facility and associated infrastructure that processes 250 million gallons of wastewater annually.
Our water system produces nearly one million gallons per day on average, or approximately 325 million gallons of water per year.
The department is responsible for providing underground utility locates for both water and sewer service lines, conducts water service line repairs, and regularly performs sewer jetting work throughout the city. The department services water main breaks and maintains 24-hour on-call staffing in the event of an after-hours emergency.
About Our Water
Water is produced at wells and is treated with chlorine for sterilization. From the wells, water is pumped to one of two water towers. The towers are connected to the distribution system where it is distributed to over 1,000 customers. At each customer's connection water flows through the meter which registers the volume used in gallons. Meter readers pull information off each meter every month which is inputted into the billing system.
In 2016-17, the City replaced all the meters in the system with a new radio reading capable SENSUS system. The new system allows residents to more closely monitor their consumption through a web portal. The radio read system also eliminates the need to read each individual meter by hand.
Water System Duties & Responsibilities
- Maintain the water system including wells, mains, valves, lines and over 900 meters
- Provide safe, reliable water service
- Provide high quality customer service for all residents and users
Our Wastewater Treatment System
South Hutchinson updated its wastewater treatment facilities in 2004. The treatment facility is a mechanical nutrient removal plant that treats between 700,000 to 800,000 gallons of waste product per day.
Wastewater is collected through individual connections and sent to the sewer plant via gravity flow lines or through sewer lift stations. Raw waste is screened at the plant to remove large debris before entering the treatment process.
Through the treatment process, debris and waste particulars are filtered out in stages, producing a nutrient rich sludge that is spread on city-owned farmland. Water that is separated from the sludge is treated further.
Effluent water that has been through the treatment process is then discharged into the Arkansas River Basin. Effluent from the South Hutchinson treatment facility meets or exceeds all environmental standards and is generally more clean than water in the basin.
Wastewater Utility Duties & Responsibilities
Contact Info
Matt Mock
Public Works Director
2 South Main St.
620-663-7104
mock@southhutch.com
Related Documents
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Utility Rates
- Wastewater Rates Ordinance No. 17-885 ( PDF / 136 KB )
- Water Rates Ordinance No. 17-886 ( PDF / 92 KB )