Jim Thorpe Borough has identified two potential sites for new test wells on its east side. The proposed test wells move the borough closer to establishing a long-sought backup water source.

Council President Connor Rodgers said during Thursday’s workshop that engineers met with the borough last week and identified two locations on borough property east of the existing water treatment plant facility. Both sites will need to be cleared and have access roads cut before drilling can begin.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a final sanitary inspection survey for Oct. 21 to approve the two locations. Council is expected to formally approve the sites at an upcoming meeting.

DEP will cover the cost of the test drilling itself. The borough is responsible for land clearing, tree removal, and building access roads to the sites, along with water quality sampling once the wells are drilled.

Water Department supervisor Dwayne Sterner said he was hopeful the first drill site would prove successful, but engineers advised drilling both locations once a crew is mobilized.

“I was hoping that we could drill one well, we hit gold, and we wouldn’t have to spend the money or the time clearing the second location,” Sterner said. “But once they mobilize a crew, they would like to drill both because it’s more cost effective for them.”

If the test wells yield usable water, the borough would then be responsible for the cost of connecting the new well to its existing facility. Prior estimates have put the project cost at roughly $750,000.

Borough officials said at previous meetings that the full project, from site identification through final connection, is expected to take three to four years.