Carbon County has found a way to restore potable water to the animal shelter.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved two actions to install a line from the prison to the shelter. Stempa Excavating of Nesquehoning will install the 1-inch water pipe the approximately 250 feet to tie into the well system at a cost of $7,645; while Fox Tapping of Wrightsville will install a wet tap at the prison so the new line can be installed at a cost of $3,079.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the move will help the county save on the monthly cost of bringing in water tankers to supply the animal shelter. It currently costs approximately $8,000 a month for the tanker.

“We had to find an alternative method,” Nothstein said. “We found a water line inside the prison that we can put a wet tap on. That will give us the water we need that is treated from the well pump house.”

Nothstein said he hopes Fox Tapping will be able to install the wet tap next week, but no time line has been announced yet on when Stempa Excavating can begin work on the line.

“At least we’ll get the issue resolved,” he said.

On Wednesday, Nothstein told the prison board that he wasn’t sure why the company that was charged with testing well 2, which supplies the shelter, for its water flow tested well 1 instead. The testing was aimed at beginning to figure out a cleaning system to resolve the mineral issue in the water that has left the shelter on the tanker supply in the first place.

Tom Connors, shelter director, notified the county in July that the water was discolored.

Sample tests showed that there was iron in the water, and the supply was shut off for the dogs’ safety.

Since then, the county has been bringing in companies to try and get a new system in place on the artesian well to filter out the iron.

In other matters, the commissioners approved agreements with Form Space Design of Bethlehem for professional services relative to the design and rehabilitation of the 44 Susquehanna St. property at a guaranteed maximum cost of $113,250 plus reimbursable expenses, as well as Boyle Construction Management of Allentown to provide professional construction management services relative to the project at a cost of $137,600 plus reimbursable expenses.

Nothstein said the actions just allow the county to continue moving forward on the project.