Utilities Department

Water & Wastewater Emergency Services: 
(785)826-7305

Water Main Breaks, Fire Hydrant Leaks, Stopped Sewers, Meter Leak Repair Requests, Emergency Water Turn-offs, and Emergency Utility Locates

City/County Building - Utilities
(785)309-5725
Utilities Administration:    Monday-Friday        8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.     

Utilities Operations
(785)826-7305                                                           
Office Staff:                                Monday-Friday    8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  
Water Distribution/
Wastewater Collection:           Monday-Sunday  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Water/Wastewater Treatment Plants:  Monday-Sunday        24 Hours

Mission

To provide safe, reliable, and high-quality water and wastewater systems with superior service and value.

Vision

Setting the standard for water and wastewater systems excellence.

Overview

The Municipal Utilities Department is composed of the water and wastewater facilities operated by the City of Salina. The Utilities Department has 57 employees and is separated into two major divisions, Plant Operations Division (Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant) and Utility Division (Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection). The Utilities Department is self-supporting from user charges collected from its customers.

Administration

Administration provides customer service, management, and support to the Plant Operations and Utility Divisions.

Plant Operations

Water Treatment Plant

The Water Treatment Plant (WTP) staff provides customer service and maintains the WTP. Treatment includes settling, softening, filtration, and disinfection. The WTP has the capability to treat 20 million gallons per day (mgd) of raw water, ten mgd from the Smoky Hill River and ten mgd from the downtown well field (17 wells). The WTP currently treats approximately five mgd in the winter and up to ten mgd in the summer. Total water treated in 2020 was 1.82 billion gallons, which included 0.83 billion gallons from the Smoky Hill River and 0.99 billion gallons from the Downtown Well Field. The water is chemically treated to meet or exceed the standards of the Kansas State Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Compliance with those standards is assured by extensive testing in both the plant and throughout the complete water distribution system.

Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) staff provides customer service and maintains the WWTP. Treatment includes preliminary screening with grit removal, primary clarification, trickling filters, activated sludge, and ultraviolet disinfection. The WWTP has the capability to treat 7.25 mgd of raw wastewater and currently treats approximately 3.81 mgd. Total wastewater treated in 2020 was 1.39 billion gallons. A total of 890 tons of biosolids (a beneficial byproduct of wastewater treatment) were produced and applied to area farmland for beneficial use. The wastewater generated by the City is treated to standards specified by the KDHE and discharged to the Smoky Hill River. A total of 12 industrial users are permitted and monitored to ensure discharge water meets the City’s Industrial Pretreatment requirements.

Utility Division

Water Distribution

The Water Distribution staff provides customer service and maintains the Water Distribution System, which consists of eight elevated water storage tanks on five separate pressure zones, five pressure booster pump stations, 335 miles of water main, 4,429 valves, 2,465 fire hydrants, and 20,291 water services and meters.

Wastewater Collection

The Wastewater Collection staff provides customer service and maintains the Wastewater Collection System, which consists of 235 miles of gravity sanitary sewer mains, 20.1 miles of force main, 4,930 manholes, and 59 wastewater pump stations.