Palmerton will spend over $66,000 on water improvements for its foundry well site.

But, it won't spend money for improvements to its Well "A" site because it plans to shut that well down by the end of September.The borough's Municipal Authority agreed on Thursday to award a contract to Bellview Pump Sales & Services, Walnutport, in the amount of $66,255 for its foundry well site.Bellview submitted the apparent low bid among the five companies who submitted proposals for the project, which calls for the installation of 24-inch diameter ductile iron pipe water main and appurtenances.However, the Authority agreed to reject the five bids it received for its Well "A" site because that well will soon be inactive. Nimaris Construction of Walnutport had turned in the apparent low bid of $51,048 for the Well "A" site.Borough Manager Rodger Danielson said Well "A" doesn't produce enough water to justify continuing its operation."It only produces about 45,000 gallons per day," Danielson said. "DEP (state Department of Environmental Protection] will allow us to make it inactive."At that, the Authority made a motion to leave the well in operation until the end of September, and said it may choose to pursue the sale of Well "A" at a later date.Danielson said the decision will have no impact to residential customers whatsoever.In a related matter, the Authority denied a request by the state Environmental Protection Agency to put a monitoring station at the Well "A" site.Also on Thursday, the Authority agreed to move forward with emergency repairs to the pump at the West Plant."It looks like we may want to put a replacement pump in there," Danielson said. "It shouldn't put us down too many days."An emergency replacement pump is expected to cost about $13,000, said Danielson, who added the matter won't have any effect on residential customers either."We don't know the complete extent of it, but it seems as though the housing has worn," he said. "It's not pumping like it should, is showing a lot of wear; it's wobbly."Danielson said it's "very likely" the existing motor will have to be replaced with a standby pump, which could cost between $80,000 to $90,000.