The Missouri American Water Co. plans to start transitioning Eureka homes and buildings from groundwater wells to a new pipeline.
Christie Barnhart, senior manager of external communications, said on Nov. 4 that Missouri American Water will begin phase one of a four-part transition this month. Heavy rainfall has stymied the installation of the last 200 feet of pipe connecting Eureka to the existing water system, she said, but after that is complete, the transition can begin.
The four-part transition will most likely be completed in the spring, Barnhart said.
“After (installation) is complete we will pressure test and do water quality tests as is our standard procedure,” Barnhart said.
She said Eureka residents were notified of the upcoming transition through an informational flyer mailed in early October.
“The water from the new source will have to make its way through the system of pipes which will not be instantaneous,” Barnhart said. “We are also doing a robust flushing program simultaneous to the transition, and this is being done incrementally by pressure zone.”
Eureka voters in 2020 approved selling the city’s water and sewer systems for $28 million, with 67 percent voting yes.
Missouri American Water began working on a 6-mile pipeline from its treatment plant in Wildwood to Eureka in fall 2022, connecting residents with a water system serving customers in St. Louis County.
The final phase of the pipeline’s construction running through Eureka was initiated in October 2023. The phase included installing pipework along Hwy. 109 and Fifth Street.
The water is being drawn from the Missouri River and is treated at the company’s central plant in Maryland Heights.
Missouri American Water states on its website it will invest more than $37 million in the city’s water and wastewater systems over the next 10 years to “improve the city’s water quality, upgrade aging infrastructure and maintain regulatory compliance.”
Tasteless, odorless transition
According to the Missouri American Water website, as the water supply is transitioned, workers will flush the system. Changes in the water’s taste or pressure shouldn’t be noticeable after the transition.
Residents may experience small service disruptions like reduced water pressure or discolored water while the system is flushed, but those issues should be remedied quickly, Barnhart said.
Customers will be notified when Missouri American Water flushes their area, she said.
“Customers may experience some aesthetic issues during hydrant flushing such as pressure fluctuations and cloudy water,” Barnhart said. “This is normal and temporary. Usually just running the tap (on cold) for a bit will alleviate the cloudiness.”
Barnhart said customers should log in or sign up for Missouri American Water’s customer alert system, MyWater, for regular updates on the water supply transition at amwater.com/mywater. Customers may also call 1-866-430-0820.