Council approves budget for biosolids storage building and an engineering contract amendment for wastewater pumps

City staff told the council the wastewater utility is advancing two projects to increase resilience and create a marketable product from biosolids.

Deputy Public Works Director Jessica Shaw said the city aims to certify treated biosolids as a fertilizer and needs a storage building to protect the product from rain. The proposed capital project (Project No. 2509) was not included in the 2025 budget but will be funded from the sewer utility fund (Fund 405). The project scope includes a fertilizer storage building and improvements to existing drying‑bed drainage.

Shaw also presented a fifth amendment to the city’s contract with RH2 Engineering for engineering services at the wastewater treatment plant. She said aging pumps cannot be replaced “in kind” because the original models are no longer available; the amendment covers engineering, replumbing and electrical upgrades to accommodate new equipment. The council approved both the capital project budget for Project 2509 and the fifth amendment to the RH2 contract; staff said funds are available in the sewer utility operations and professional‑services budgets.

Council members and staff noted the project follows examples in other jurisdictions that convert biosolids into marketable fertilizer products; Shaw cited Pierce County’s Tagro and King County’s SoundGrow as comparable programs.