City looks to finalize agreement for land to build new water load-out system

WORLAND — The City of Worland will have a bulk water load-out system later this summer with an agreement being finalized to use Big Horn Cooperative Marketing Association property along Railway Avenue.

Worland Public Works Superintendent Brian Burky said the current water crane/bulk water load-out near the city shop at 101 Grace is “very old and breaks down frequently.” He said it is used by contractors, oil field workers, ag producers and others needing potable water supply.

He said the city was looking for a new location because the current location is less than ideal. When the crane is busy and the street is busy, especially during sugar beet harvest season, it creates traffic issues.

With a new location it is better to replace the old system. “It’s old and becoming unreliable,” Burky said.

He said the city look at seven to eight city locations to build a new water crane but each site had different issues that prevented it from being an ideal location, some of the issues were access issues, access to the water line and development costs.

The city then begn looking at property owned by private land owners. “We did find a piece of vacant land, along railroad tracks and the truck route on North Railway Avenue,” Burky said. He said the city and Big Horn Cooperative are working on an agreement.

“It will be a very nice improvement to the town. We are frequently getting calls on the weekend that the water crane is down. We have good water and lots of it,” Burky said.

Burky said the project is in this year’s budget so they are hoping to get the project completed by the end of the fiscal year on June 30.