Improvements at the Braswell well will improve the water supply capacity for the city of Troy and save the expense of drilling a new well.

“We needed additional water on the north of town and we looked into the possibility of drilling another well,” said Mayor Jason Reeves, adding that the cost of new well would be more than $1 million.

However, a water study offered an alternative: the 20-year-old Braswell Street well, which was not being tapped at capacity.

“We found out that this well could produce more water but, at the time it was installed, the city had not opted to put the larger depth on it,” said Brian Chandler, utilities manager.

So, by investing some $387,000 in improvements to the existing well, the city can improve services and save the potential expense of drilling a new well.

“This is saving us a pile of money,” Reeves said.

His grandfather, the late Homer Reeves, was manager of the utilities department when the well was drilled. The mayor said they talked about the potential of the Braswell well before the elder Reeves passed away in 2015.

“I asked him why they stopped where they did and he said, ‘that’s where we hit. We knew we could always go deeper if we needed to.’”

The well provides water for the north side of Troy, including areas out towards the Troy Municipal Airport and Sikorsky Support Services. Drilling deeper provides the capacity needed to serve the city for years to come, Reeves said.

“With everything you’re hearing in the national news these days about water, we’re in a good position,” Reeves said. “We’re about as far south as we can be and still be tapped into the Tuscaloosa Aquifer.”

Chandler said the well will be offline for several months to allow for the repairs and improvements, but customers should not be affected.

“We have studied this and we don’t believe our customers will be affected,” Chandler said. “We’ll supplement the supply from our well at the industrial park and on Barron Road.”

In other business on Tuesday, the City Council:

• Approved an on premises retail beer and table wine license for the Hampton Inn.

• Approved an off-premises only retail beer and table wine license for May Brothers Inc. at Pinckard’s No. 2, 12167 U.S. Highway 231.

• Awarded bids to install nearly 7,000 new water meters to city utility customers. The meter upgrades are part of a system-wide upgrade and are part of the SRF funds the city has been using for the infrastructure improvements. HD Supply Waterworks won the bid to supply the materials for the meter upgrades at $1.7 million. Central Plant Technology Inc. will install the meters for $328,500.

• Awarded the bid for the purchase of two four-wheel-drive utility trucks for the public works department. The trucks will be purchased from Bill Jackson Chevrolet at a cost of $32,226.50 each.