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The City of Wahoo contracted with Ray Planning Solutions to complete an analysis of property located on the east side of Wahoo, south of US Hwy 77/92, and east of old Hwy 77 to determine if the area meets the statutory requirements to be designated as blighted and substandard.  The draft report has been completed and will be considered by the Planning Commission (for recommendation) and the City Council (for approval) at meetings in early December. Links to the full draft study as well as the map of the area are below.

The terminology of blighted and substandard often have a negative connotation associated with them, but it should be noted that these terms - "blighted" and "substandard" - are specifically defined in Nebraska Revised Statutes and are intended to encourage updates to property and improvements to public infrastructure. This designation makes property eligible for consideration for use of tax increment financing which is a financing tool to provided needed improvements to infrastructure or aspects of a project that serve the public. This designation also opens the door to applying for Community Development Block Grant funding to assist with improvements.

The City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the study at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at City Hall, 605 North Broadway.  The City Council will hold a hearing on the study on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at the Wahoo Public Library, 637 North Maple. Any questions on the study can be directed to the City Administrator by email to harrell@wahoo.ne.us, or by may to 605 N. Broadway, Wahoo, NE  68066

East Industrial Area Blight Study

Map of Study Area - East Industrial Area Blight Study

Here is a list of some of the questions we have received regarding our boil notice and related testing:

Who is impacted by this notice?

The City of Wahoo water is supplied to residents of the corporate limits of Wahoo, Wahoo Cemeteries located east of Wahoo, and those who receive their water from the Lower Platte North NRD (primarily Colon). The City of Wahoo does billing for communities such as Malmo and Ithaca, but they are independent systems and are not connected to Wahoo's water system.  Only those services that are receiving water from the City of Wahoo water distribution system are impacted by the boil notice. (Note: Colon is served water from Wahoo by a water main that runs from Wahoo to Colon, and is operated by the Lower Platte North NRD.)

How often is testing done?

The City of Wahoo, as required by Nebraska public water system operation guidelines, does testing on the water system monthly. The Wahoo water system is divided up into five zones. Each of those zones have five testing locations. Each month, a sample is pulled from a testing location in each zone.  The specific date each month that the samples are collected varies to allow for staff availability, wind or weather conditions, etc. Once samples are collected they are delivered to the lab for testing. If a contaminant is detected in the test results that requires public notification (as per the public water system operation guidelines), Wahoo is directly contacted by the lab and the State of Nebraska.

When was the water tested where the E. coli was detected?

City of Wahoo licensed water operators pulled samples from the five zones on Monday, November 3. These were delivered to the lab for testing that day. On Tuesday, November 4, the City of Wahoo received notification of an E. coli "hit" in one of the five samples. Four of the five samples pulled also showed a coliform "hit". (E. coli is a specific type of coliform.) One sample returned with no contamination.  

When was the water last tested?

The last testing date of our water was done on October 7, 2025. All test results came back negative to any contaminants.

What is being done to make Wahoo's water safe again?

On Wednesday afternoon, our operators begin chlorinating the water system. We will continue to do that as well as a good flushing of the system that will distribute the chlorine disinfection throughout the system. This will be done by overflowing the water tower and opening hydrants in strategic locations across the system. However, just because we are doing this does not mean the boil order has been lifted. As per the notice that we delivered to each customer of our system, at a minimum, the boil order is in place through November 7. Please follow the City's Facebook page, check the City of Wahoo's website, and turn to local TV new channels to watch for an official lift of the boil notice.

Please continue to check back to this page for updates on our FAQs.

UPDATED BOIL WATER ORDER

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

City of Wahoo - NE3115512

During the month of November 2025, we found E. coli bacteria indicating the need to look for potential problems in water treatment or distribution. When this occurs, we are required to conduct an assessment to identify problems and to correct any problems that were found during these assessments.

What Does This Mean?

E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. However, if you have specific health concerns, you may want to consult a physician.

What Should I Do?

Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring water to a boil for one minute, and let cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

What Happened? What Is Being Done?

Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process. The system is continuing to test and is working to identify the source of the problem. We will inform you when test results show no further contamination, and you no longer need to boil your water. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or epa.gov/safewater.

Expected Resolution Date:  No sooner than November 10, 2025

Corrective Action:  We are chlorinating the system, overflowing the water tower, and flushing the system.

For additional information regarding this notice interested persons may contact:

Operator: _Aaron Gustin_____________ Phone: ____402-607-9470__________

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

At the November 3rd meeting of the Saunders County Planning and Zoning Commission, the City of Wahoo is requesting that Saunders County adopt the existing Wellhead Protection Zoning Overlay currently in place within the City’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).

The purpose of this zoning overlay is to protect both the quality and quantity of groundwater supplying the City of Wahoo’s three municipal wells.

The only area affected by this proposed change would be the land located outside of the blue-shaded area but within the red boundary lines shown on the map. All other properties are either already within, or will soon be within, the City of Wahoo’s ETJ and are therefore already covered under this zoning protection.

This proposed change does not affect existing property owners or wells within the area.

Questions can be directed to City of Wahoo Utility Manager Ryan Hurst at 402-443-3222.

CITY OF WAHOO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - DUE BY 5:00 P.M., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN
(PDF DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE)

The City of Wahoo, Nebraska is pursuing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) to complete a Downtown Revitalization (DTR) Plan.

The City is requesting proposals from qualified consultants who have experience in developing DTR Planning documents. It is the City’s intent to create a plan that provides a comprehensive outlook of the current designated downtown area in addition to the development of goals and objectives that can further enhance the area, making it an attractive place to do business and visit. The plan will be used as a guide for the city to develop and improve the downtown area. The Scope of Work listed may be adjusted, but the focus will be on identifying the needs and wants through public input.

Scope of Work:

• Facilitation of a public engagement process to gather input from the community and to develop community-wide consensus on the needs of Wahoo. Citizen participation should include public meetings, surveys, committees, and any other method designed to maximize the involvement of the City's residents;
• Coordinating input from key stakeholders, including but not limited to, City of Wahoo and appointed boards, Wahoo Chamber of Commerce, Greater Wahoo Development Foundation, community business owners and civic organizations;
• Developing a plan, which identifies the goals and objectives arrived at through the need's identification process;
• Developing strategies for implementing said goals and objectives; and
• Preparing a cost opinion for proposed improvements needed to meet the goals and objectives.

Interested firms should submit their proposal in writing, with the following required information included:

1. A letter of interest that outlines the following:
   1. Qualifications of the firm and of the personnel/additional organizations that are assigned to this project.
   2. Previous experience in completing DTR plans.
   3. Knowledge of Wahoo, the proposed project, and CDBG funding requirements.
   4. A public engagement strategy.
   5. References and contact information for three (3) similar projects that have been completed within the last five (5) years.
2. Listing of the organization(s) included in the firm's project team. The list/discussion of this item should identify the role of each organization and an indication of how much of the total project workload each organization will undertake.
3. Listing of key team members on the project, including their qualifications and responsibilities for the proposed project.
4. The name, qualifications, experience, and availability of the project manager. Please include information on similar projects in which the project manager has previously worked.
5. A detailed project schedule that includes an outline of the scope, major tasks, completion dates for various phases, and the total project cost with certain costs attributed to each phase.

Submittals will be scored based on the following scale:

1. Technical expertise of the firm in connection with the scope of services to be provided and the complexity of the project. (25 points)
2. Past record of performance on administrative contracts with other clients including quality of work, timeliness, and cost control. (25 Points)
3. Capacity of the firm to perform the work within the time limitations, taking into consideration the current and planned workload of the firm. (20 Points)
4. Familiarity with the Community Development Block Grant Program Guidelines. (20 Points)
5. Cost of services. (10 Points)

Total possible points= 100 Points

The City of Wahoo will evaluate all submittals and make a recommendation to the City Council. A contract with a not to exceed amount will be required. Contract award for the Planning Consultant portion of the contract will be contingent upon award of the grant and Release of Funds by the DED.

The City of Wahoo reserves the right to accept any bid, which it deems most favorable to the City, to waive any irregularities or informalities in any bid received, to reject any or all bids submitted, and to hold as many bids as it desires for consideration for a period of thirty (30) days after the bids are open. Bids received after the specified time of closing will be returned unopened.

The City of Wahoo is an equal opportunity employer and requires all contractors and consultants to comply with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.

Other submittal requirements:

• Proposals may not exceed a total of 12 single sided pages (not including the cover page, table of contents or separating "tabs")
• Only sealed written proposals will be accepted. Physical copies are required.
• Deadline for submission of written material is 5:00 pm, Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
• Submittals of 6 copies should be received, or hand delivered to the address below by the deadline:

RFP - Wahoo Downtown Revitalization Planning

Attn: Melissa Harrell, City Administrator

605 N. Broadway

Wahoo, NE 68066

If you have any questions, please call (402) 443-3222, Ext. 14 and speak to Melissa Harrell, City Administrator.

The City of Wahoo will be holding a public hearing on their proposed budget on Tuesday, September 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Wahoo Public Library.  Members of the public are invited to come learn about what the City of Wahoo does, where the funding comes from, and gain an understanding of how our community is financed.

City of Wahoo Budget Information:

• City of Wahoo Budget Presentation (including all items listed below)
  • Property Tax and Levy Summary
  • 2025-26 Budget Summary
  • 2025-26 Budget Detail
  • Debt Service Summary
  • Capital expenses planned for FY 2025-26

Agenda and Minutes can be found here

The Mayor and Council of the City of Wahoo meet regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Wahoo Public Library, 637 N Maple St. They also convene as needed for special meetings which can be called by either the Mayor or by three of the six Council members. All meetings are open to the public and are held in accordance with the Open Meetings Act established by the Nebraska State Legislature.

If you would like to have an item added to the next regular meeting of the Mayor and Council, please print off the Agenda Request Worksheet, complete the worksheet, and return it to the City Clerk's Office at 605 North Broadway along with any supporting documentation by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on the Thursday prior to the meeting. Once the item is received, the Clerk will contact you regarding the exact date and time of the meeting.

While each agenda is kept continually current and available for public inspection on request, the agenda is not final until posted on the Friday before the meeting. The City of Wahoo makes agendas available by email, on this website, and by posting at the Wahoo Post Office, First National Bank and City Hall. If you would like to have your name added to the email distribution list, please send an email to fasel@wahoo.ne.us.

Special meetings may be called from time to time as the need arises. Agendas for special meetings are posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting time in the same manner as agendas for regular meetings of the Council.

The minutes of the Mayor and Council must be made available to the public within 10 days of the meeting or by the next meeting, whichever comes first. If the minutes you are looking for are not available below, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 402-443-3222.

Older agendas, packets, and minutes are available at the City Clerks office at City Hall. 

As part of the Downtown Water Main improvements there will be service lines to your business or home that may need to be updated. This graphic helps explain what your water service line is and where it is located.  The second graphic shares information on the sub-contractor (Codr Plumbing) and their employees who will be completing this work for us.