Public Works Supervisor of the Year | City Administrator of the Year | Office Manager of the Year | Rural Water Manager of the Year | Wastewater Operator of the Year | Friend of Rural Water Award | Rural Water Operator of the Year | City Clerk of the Year | Most Improved System | Silver Faucet Award
City of Onaga, “Most Improved Water System”
The City of Onaga was recognized as the Most Improved Water System in Kansas at the 43rd Annual Conference & Exhibition, Mach 31, 2010. City Superintendent Jack May accepted the award on behalf of the city.
Onaga’s work on an extensive infrastructure improvement course of action began in 2006. That year, the city completed nearly a full replacement of the sanitary sewer collection system, including manholes. In 2008, the city took on a project to replace the aging water distribution system including new meters, fire hydrants, and a new 150,000-gallon glass-lined, elevated storage tank. The project involved 11,139 feet of 8-inch pipe, 27,724 feet of 6-inch pipe, 117 feet of 4-inch pipe, and 55 fire hydrants.
Most small cities would likely consider stopping at that point, but not Onaga. In 2008, the city entered into another project with the Kansas Department of Transportation (Streetscape), redoing the entire downtown with new streets, sidewalks, curb and gutter and lighting. Also with funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, another project was undertaken. A storm water project is aimed at correcting flooding issues within the city. That project is currently in construction, and is scheduled to be completed by mid-April 2010.
In addition to the Kansas Department of Transportation, USDA Rural Development, the Kansas Department of Commerce, county and city funding were all utilized on the projects.