Water Department

WATER SUPPLY 

The McCook Public Water System (license # NE3114504) receives its water from a series of wells located in the Republican River Valley. The well field consists of 9 wells. Each well pumps water to the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) which is centrally located to the well field. The WTP came online in February of 2006 and uses ion-exchange to soften the water to 17 grains of hardness and remove arsenic, nitrate and uranium to suitable levels. The WTP has a daily capacity of 6.5 million gallons. 

Annually McCook produced 785,620,000 gallons of drinking water in 2021. Averaging 2.1 million gallons per day with the maximum day for 2021 of 4,698,000 gallons occurring on June 15th.

McCook Stores treated water in a 4 million gallon Clear Well located at the Water Treatment Facility. Water from the Clear Well is pumped to town by three 250 horsepower, 3,000 gpm centrifugal pumps. Water is distributed by 53 miles of mains to the city’s 3,600 service connections. Water mains ranging in size from 4 inch to 24 inch.

The distribution system is divided into two pressure zones, the low side which averages 45 to 50 psi and a high side averaging 55 to 65 psi. Each side is served by a one-million-gallon elevated storage tank. 

STAFF
The City of McCook Water System has a current staff of 7 water operators. The distribution system operates with 4 employees. One labor foreman, one water superintendent, and 2 water operators. The Water Treatment Facility operates with a staff of 2 licensed water treatment operators.  The Utility Director oversees the day-to-day operation of the entire water system.

The City of McCook is licensed by the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to operate a Class III Public Water System (Permit No. NE3114504). The system is regulated by Title 179, Regulations Governing Public Water Systems in the State of Nebraska.

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