Perry staff say wiring and a burst overflow pipe caused Mount Lee Park washout; repairs pending

Perry’s mayor reported on Jan. 22 that recent erosion at Mount Lee Park followed a failure in the city’s water infrastructure, and city staff described an immediate plan to repair the damage.

The mayor said he initially believed a failed valve caused the washout but that on inspection it appeared a pipe failure may have been involved as well. Zach Allen, the city’s public works director, told the council the immediate root cause was personnel/installation wiring at Well 4: "the proper wiring was not connected to the motor, and so that was causing a short, caused the whole well and SCADA system to shut down, which then caused the drain valve from the tank to open... which then... washed out the mountainside." Allen said staff believe they have addressed the initial wiring problem, will repair the main line and have directed replacement of the valve with one that remains closed if it does not receive a signal.

Allen warned the repair will be significant and that staff are obtaining quotes; he said those estimates will be brought back to the council. Council members described debris piled near the detention basin and discussed whether the damage appeared to be contractor-related or a separate equipment failure. The mayor and council said the situation was contained and that work will focus on restoring the hillside and damaged piping.

What’s next: Public works will obtain repair quotes and staff will present estimates and recommended repairs to the council for authorization.