The Newton City Council has approved adding a $1.2 million dollar upgrade to the water line leading to the new Westwood Golf Course Clubhouse, to the $2.9 million General Obligation Water Revenue Bond issuance approved last December. The upgrade will address a water pressure issue at the new clubhouse. Newton City staff notes the water distribution system currently terminates in a long dead-end near the golf course’s driveway on Highway F-48, and the current main is undersized and insufficient to supply the new clubhouse with enough water flow to support its fire sprinkler system. Newton Mayor Evelyn George says adding the cost of installing a new eight inch water main to support the fire sprinkler system to the city’s bonding will not impact property taxes.

“This will not increase the debt service levy.  And it will improve the water service to Lambs Grove and Bittersweet Acres, who are also customers of ours.

Newton Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik has granted the city a variance to open the clubhouse without a proper water supply for the automatic fire suppression system. But the variance comes with the stipulation that occupancy in the clubhouse will not exceed 99 people. If the city would hold an event that would draw more people than that, the city would be required to hire a trained fire watch officer to monitor the number of occupants and identify hazards that could cause a fire. The new water supply for the fire suppression system is to be installed by the end of this year.