The City of North Pole will begin accepting applications next week for area residents who want to connect to the town’s recently expanded water system. Public Works Director Bill Butler says North Pole will kick off efforts to sign up people who live in two areas on the west side of town during two open house meetings to be held Wednesday at City Hall.
Public Works Director Bill Butler says North Pole will kick off efforts to sign up people who live in two areas on the west side of town during two open house meetings to be held Wednesday at City Hall.
“One of the intentions is to get people from Zones 1 and 2, where the water pipes have been installed, and now have water flowing through them,” he said, “and they can sign up for installations to begin in spring 2019.”
Butler says there are about 230 potential customers in Zones 1 and 2, which are located west of Peridot Road and both north and south of the Richardson Highway. He says customers who live in Zones 3 and 4 along the northern edge of town will have to wait ’til next year to sign up.
“We’re hopeful that in Zones 3 and 4, the water mains will be installed and completed by end of summer/early fall 2019,” he said. “And customers in those areas would be able to sign up for water-service installation in spring 2020.”
Butler says about 700 potential customers live in all four zones. That estimate is included in a legal settlement reached last year to resolve legal claims over contamination of groundwater caused by the leakage of an industrial solvent from the now-shuttered North Pole Refinery. The settlement between refinery owner Flint Hills Resources and the State of Alaska and City of North Pole provides up to $100 million to expand the water system and pay other costs.
Butler says Flint Hills will provide an incentive to get people to sign up for service soon.
“Flint Hills Resources is offering $500 early signup bonus if people sign up before May 31, 2019,” he said.
Butler says the City of North Pole also has put together a package of incentives for applicants.
“They’ll have a $2,000 credit put on their utility bill, so they won’t have to pay water bills right away,” he said. “The deposit of $75 will also be paid. And also there’s a utility charge called a facility repair and replacement that will be waived for all applicants ’til 2022.”
Butler says Wednesday’s town hall meetings in the City Council meeting chambers also will include updates on the project. He says representatives from Flint Hills along with officials with the city and state Department of Environmental Conservation will be available to provide information and answer questions.
Correction: This story has been revised to correct an earlier version that misstated the date of the open house meetings. The two meetings will be held Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the City Hall council meeting chambers, 125 Snowman Lane.
