EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — The City of Excelsior Springs has begun the long-awaited testing phase to bring the historic Lithia well back into public use. Public Works Director Chad Birdsong said crews performed a drawdown test this week, marking the first major step toward determining whether the well can once again provide safe, drinkable mineral water.
City officials contracted Sargent Drilling, a professional well company, to conduct the drawdown test, which measures how quickly water levels drop and recover. Birdsong said the test helps determine the well’s performance and overall water-producing capacity.
In addition to the drawdown assessment, the city collected water samples to deliver to Microbac Labs, where the mineral content and other Lithia-specific qualities will be analyzed. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also requires a set of standard tests. Those results will help guide the treatment process needed to restore the well after years of inactivity.
“The engineers will be assessing everything: the casing, the wellhead, production levels, and the treatment process,” Birdsong explained. He added that the city will also be evaluating whether the water should be sold directly at the well site or pumped to the Hall of Waters for public access.
Birdsong emphasized that this is just the beginning of a long, regulated process to safely reopen the well. “This is the first step of many,” he said, noting that the city must meet all DNR parameters before mineral water can flow to the public again. Results from the testing are expected before the end of the year.
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