Work on one of Jim Thorpe Borough's wells will cost between $30,000 and $35,000.

Councilman Jay Miller said last week the project will include replacing an intake screen and piping in the "number four well" after an accumulation of iron and manganese.Since Jim Thorpe added the well in the 1980s, the iron and manganese buildup has been a consistent problem, requiring the same work every four or five years."That well supplies the east side of town and we're not getting the maximum water flow that we should be," Miller said."This is tedious work, but it's something we have to do."Crews will "pull the well" in 5-foot sections, according to Borough Public Works Supervisor Vince Yaich.The problem has mystified borough officials as just 200 feet above the well in question is "well one," which hasn't had the same issues."In the past they have brushed the well, tried pounding it deeper and super chlorinated the well," Yaich said."None of that worked. We also put a three-eighth inch tube down to chemically treat it, but where the casing narrows, it pinched and we couldn't get the line where we needed it." he said."The only option was to build a bigger well, and with the cost and time involved in that, it wasn't worth it."Jim Thorpe has two types of water intake; the Mauch Chunk Creek for the west side of town and the wells for the east side.Well one could supply the necessary area on its own, but the borough's withdrawal permit only calls for 240,000 gallons of water per day."The permit for well four on the other hand allows for 504,000 gallons of withdrawal per day," Yaich said.Council expects to take official action on the work at its meeting Thursday night.