Wastewater planning study approved with public comment; new clarifiers, SCADA installations moving forward

City staff reported that the wastewater planning study has received initial approval subject to two conditions: schedule an environmental scoping meeting with the agency referenced in the approval and conduct a published public comment period lasting at least 14 days followed by a public meeting. The city will publish the notice and convene the scoping meeting and comment period in the next 30 days.

Public‑works staff also updated the council on equipment work at the wastewater treatment plant. The city expects delivery of new clarifiers in roughly one week; Gridicorp is scheduled to be on site to install them. Vendor Nordic Water & Zigger will send an installation engineer to inspect the work and advise on wastewater‑specific installation details. Staff said vendor engineers will return for a second inspection after installation.

On the water side, staff reported that a basic SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system for the town’s water tank has been installed. The SCADA setup will send text‑message alerts to staff — for example, when tank levels are high or low or if the pump fails — using existing cellular connectivity; staff said there is no new ongoing data fee beyond the current Verizon air‑card service used for cameras. Public‑works staff described the functionality as primarily a notification system at this stage and said it will help operational response.

Staff projected the clarifier installation and plant changeover could take a few weeks; an in‑house transition period for draining and cleaning is expected before the new clarifiers are brought online. Staff estimated the project should be substantially installed and working by mid‑November, though they cautioned some adjustment and commissioning time will be required. The council directed staff to schedule the required public scoping and comment steps for the planning study and to proceed with vendor coordination for clarifier delivery and installation.