Commission approves $81,688 payment to Veolia; plant repairs and power study draw scrutiny

The Cross Hill Township Public Service Commission voted to reimburse its contract operator, Veolia, $81,687.97 on Sept. 9 to cover maintenance charges above the $40,000 annual maintenance cap written into the township’s operating contract.

The payment was the result of a yearlong list of repairs and emergency services that Veolia submitted; the company reported $121,535.10 in total charges for the period and applied the $40,000 in‑contract allowance, leaving the $81,687.97 balance the commission approved. "Anything above and beyond that $40,000 allocation within the contract is billed back to the township, and it's done once a year," Veolia representative Ryan said while presenting the item.

Commissioners pressed Veolia representatives and township staff for details about several high‑cost items and about recurring operational vulnerabilities at the wastewater treatment plant. Commissioners asked specifically about: a roughly $1,100 charge in April 2024 for a pressure gauge used to size a new sludge pump; a Cummins generator exhaust pipe replacement in June 2024; repeated lift‑station emergency repairs; the use of repeat subcontractors (for example, Newport Electric); and recurring purchases such as replacement walkie‑talkies for areas with no cellphone service.

Ryan said the April pressure‑gauge entry reflected a field test to size a replacement sludge pump and included several hours of labor and plumbing work. He said the Cummins exhaust work was a manufacturer part and installation for a 20‑year‑old backup generator that supports the equalization (EQ) basin. On subcontractors, he said Veolia contracts with long‑standing local vendors who know the plant and are available for emergency calls.

Commission discussion also covered plant reliability. Staff said the plant has two major generators (a diesel at the main plant and a natural‑gas unit for the EQ basin). The main generator is an older Detroit Diesel unit; the EQ basin generator is roughly 20 years old. Ryan said monthly and weekly exercise schedules are used to log hours and maintain readiness.

Commissioners and staff discussed several ongoing operational problems that extend beyond the maintenance cap payment. Those items included emergency repairs to multiple lift stations after infiltration and pipe damage, replacement of cellular alarms for remote sites, and a recent series of pump‑priming and pump‑capacity problems associated with new vertical pumps used to move sludge into a newly completed storage tank. Derek (staff member) said the new secondary sludge tank must be operable to meet settlement requirements in the township’s administrative compliance order; staff reported they expect a further update at next month’s meeting.

Commissioners asked about the sludge hauling schedule. Staff reported the town hauls sludge twice a year and said the plant was about halfway to the expected capacity at the time of the meeting; sludge hauling equipment and press work were expected to resume within days.

The commission also discussed a UIS‑conducted power‑quality monitoring study that found voltage "peaks and valleys" on the township’s supply. Staff said UIS is preparing a technical package to present to DTE showing recorded deviations from industry parameters so the township can request corrective action. "UIS's electrical engineer was basically dissecting that data further to be able to provide to us, basically a case to go to DTE," staff said.

After questions, the commission approved payment to Veolia. The motion to approve the payment passed by voice vote.

The commission requested additional follow up: a breakdown of recurring vendors and subcontractor usage, confirmation of tax treatment on purchases billed through Veolia, and monthly progress updates on the pump and sludge‑tank operational fixes and the UIS/DTE power study.

The decision brings short‑term operational continuity but leaves open several follow‑up items commissioners flagged for future meetings.