Norwich – The Norwich Golf Course Authority received city approval Monday for an $800,000 water irrigation project that would remove the golf course from the municipal drinking water system.

The project would save up to $100,000 per year in water bills and preserve water for better uses, authority officials told the City Council.

The council voted unanimously to approve an $800,000 bond that will be repaid by revenues from the golf course, not taxpayer money, to fund the project. The amount is the highest bonding level the council can approve by charter without putting the project to referendum.

The final plans have not yet been solidified, but the project likely will include a 6-million-gallon retention pond and two or more deep wells for irrigation.

Authority member John Paul Mereen, chairman of the authority’s water project committee, said the exact location for the new pond hasn’t been decided, but it likely will be between the 11th and 15th holes on the golf course, near the border with the Norwich ice rink. The number of wells needed will depend on the yields measured in test wells, he said.

Although the bonding ordinance contains language allowing the funds to be used to relocate bunkers, greens and tees, Mereen said there are no plans to disturb the current golf course layout for the water project.

The authority would like to start the project this fall and have the new irrigation system in place by the time the course opens next spring, Mereen said. But before the project can begin, the authority needs a water diversion permit from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The authority proposed the plan after a serious drought in 2016, forced the authority to spend nearly $100,000 to water the course.

“This year, because of the rain, we haven’t had that high of a bill, but the revenues of the golf course are down because of the rain too,” Mereen said.

Mereen said the project is necessary, because the course needs regular irrigation to maintain the quality of the greens to attract users.

Resident Rodney Bowie spoke against the project, saying he objected to spending $800,000 on the golf course and expressed concern that the golf course has a $46,000 deficit this year. But Bowie said a well system is a good choice for the golf course and is used effectively by other courses in the region.

c.bessette@theday.com