Trent Fire Department volunteers will be able to fill fire trucks in town if a plan to bury a cistern by the town’s old well works out.
Trent city officials and the fire chief say the solution will provide enough water to fill trucks quickly in case the highway is flooded, preventing travel to its current source of water west of town at Jim Lacey’s place. In a recent house fire during spring flooding, the department had to request aid and water from Flandreau, Colman and Jasper, Minn., because the road was flooded to the water source. The town doesn’t have enough pressure to fill a truck with its rural water source without causing others to dramatically lose water pressure.
Trent town board members are looking into what it would cost to install the cistern and any needed equipment. After a brainstorming session that looked at a number of options, the cistern plan was chosen as the best. Some other solutions, such as increasing the size of the rural water pipe coming into town would be cost prohibitive, said Jonathan Damm, board president. The Big Sioux River and the Trent Swimming Pool also are option but the water is not filtered and would be hard on the truck equipment, he said.
The cistern, which could cost between $5,000 and $10,000, is the best solution, he said. “I think that one makes the most sense financially. We’ve got the wells; we’ve got the pump there,” Damm said.

Once they have a better estimate on the cost, the town board will decide if they can pay for it this year or will have to wait and budget it next year, he said. The fire department could help with some of the expense, said Chief Tom Scherff. The group also talked about a possible community fundraiser.
“Everybody’s aware of the situation. Everybody knows we need to fix it,” Damm said.
In other business,
•Verizon is getting ready to put up its tower in Trent, a project that will give the town some income. The company has requested a building permit, said Kimberly Nelson, finance officer. “It sounds like they’re ready to go,” she said.
•The Trent Gym has a new roof that cost $19,364, which empties the account that was made up of donated money, said Jennifer Ahrendt, board member. There is still $920 that has been raised for the playground, she said.
•Ahrendt and Rich Nord were sworn in for their board positions. They were unopposed in the April election.