Landis pump works fine during test

LANDIS — For a few minutes late Thursday, thousands of gallons of treated Kannapolis water flowed into the drought-stricken Landis system.

But it was only a test.

The regular flow of 750,000 gallons a day will probably not start until next week. The water will supply nearly 3,000 customers in Landis and China Grove.

Town crews joined with engineers, contractors and others to test the new pump, which will move the water from Kannapolis into the Landis system.

Some parts of the testing went very well. Others revealed a few glitches.

Public Works Director Bob Wood said today that if needed the pump could be put on line.

“We’re OK. We can run the pump if we need to,” said Wood.

But they anticipate waiting a few more days for delivery of an additional piece of equipment and some additional tweaking.

With the town’s water supply remaining at about 30 days, the flow of water can’t come too soon.

State officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources helped broker the deal for Landis to get water from Charlotte-Mecklenburg through Concord and Kannapolis.

Landis will pay $2.46 per 1,000 gallons. Town officials expect to make significant rate changes at the Board of Aldermen meeting on Jan. 7.

During the pump testing Thursday, workmen quickly determined they had the wrong voltage transformers to accommodate the pump.

The $77,000 pump is located in a newly installed underground vault at the intersection of Chapel Street and Hickory Street.

Town crews quickly put up a new transformer, and testing resumed later in the day.

During the testing they discovered that at a piece of the pump equipment hasn’t arrived yet.

Wood said that although it was a rush order, it apparently had gotten snagged in the holiday season.

The device will automatically open and close valves.

It’s now expected to arrive next week. Wood said at that point, representatives of the pump company will return to complete the tweaking necessary before the pump goes on line.

Contact Jessie Burchette at jburchette@salisburypost.com  or call 704-797-4254.