By Lucky Kidd
BUHLER, Kan. — Progress is being made on addressing water issues for Buhler USD 313’s new Crusader Corner childcare facility at 56th and Plum. The USD 313 Board of Education heard an update from Sarah Sipe with Landmark Architects and Josh Vogel from Simpson Construction on current building projects during Monday’s meeting.
The issue stems from the number of people to be at the facility being more than 25, which the Kansas Department of Health and Environment required a public water supply system to be established. There are numerous requirements related to that including having an engineering study and actual drilling be done by firms “acceptable” to them.
Sipe said they have made contact with BG Consultants, which has extensive experience in this field, and have also made contact with Clark Well Service which is one of five firms KDHE accepts for this kind of work.
The cost for the engineering and well drilling will come to around $90,000, some $10,000 less than an earlier quote for the same work. To be added to this is the cost of chlorination equipment, which could be housed either in a separate well house or possibly in the basement of the former church.
KDHE has indicated the existing well could, for now, still be used for toilet flushing, but can’t be used for drinking or hand washing. A temporary workaround has been identified that will enable Crusader Corner to open as scheduled. It involves use of bottled water and temporary sinks, which will cost about $7,000 and could be sold once the new well is on line.
Vogel provided an update on other work being done at Crusader Corner, along with a daycare facility at Buhler Grade School and the former Masonic Lodge on East 23rd in Hutchinson that will be the new home at Ad Astra Academies.
Among items added to the project were adding insulation to exterior walls at Crusader Corner and other assorted items along with adding required ramps and such.
As of now, Vogel said substantial completion of Crusader Corner is on track to be done by the end of August. Also on track for completion are the renovations for the BGS childcare and Ad Astra Academies, which are expected to be finished by the time school starts August 13th.
