Utilities director outlines $28‑project pipeline and major grant bids including $34M pump station

City Utilities Director Matt Wilman told the commission the department is working from a 28‑project capital list aimed at keeping aging sanitary sewer and stormwater systems operational while seeking grant funding to limit rate increases.

Wilman said a cost estimate for the Fleming Channel project recently rose from $15 million to roughly $21 million and that the city currently has a little over $10 million in funding for that project. “We have a little over 10 in current funding,” he said, and staff will proceed with grant applications and seek additional funding for the remainder.

The department is also pursuing a $34 million Mallory Square stormwater pump station and has secured $1 million in legislative funding so far. Wilman described pilot projects and longer‑term solutions — including reverse osmosis for water treatment and pyrolysis to reduce sludge hauling — that could reduce operating costs and produce energy or reusable byproducts.

Commissioners asked about timelines and the effect on rates. Wilman said several projects are “mostly funded” and that the department is seeking additional grant funds and planning to phase work to avoid abrupt rate hikes. The commission encouraged staff to accelerate feasibility work on high‑risk sites identified in the department’s condition assessment and to return with refined funding options.

No formal action was taken; the utilities presentation was a staff briefing that the commission used to provide direction on grant‑seeking and prioritization.