Harlan Community Schools okays city use of Merrill well

    HARLAN – The Harlan Community Schools is expected to approve an agreement that will allow the City of Harlan to utilize a well on school property at Merrill Field to help with anticipated water shortages in Harlan.
    The HCS Board of Education will address the issue at its next board meeting, allowing the city access to the abandoned well if approved.  The district had used water from the well to water the Merrill football field, but has not needed to in recent years since the installation of the field turf.
    HCS Superintendent of Schools Lynn Johnson said the city will assume all expenses for getting the well operational.  The agreement is expected to not have a specific end date -- just for the foreseeable future, but it would be an annual agreement to be revisited each year.
    Johnson said the well will be a good source of non-potable water for the city.
    The Harlan Municipal Utilities recently confirmed that due to drought conditions and maintenance issues, the city does have a water shortage.  HMU plans to work over the next few years to drill new wells to address the city’s water issue.
    And in the meantime, conservation measures could be enacted.