Water staff warn of aging pipes, recent $900,000 emergency repair and a $200,000 tank fix

City water staff told council members that sections of older pipe installed years ago are deteriorating and causing repeated breaks, and that recent emergency work cost roughly $900,000. "We spent about $900,000," the water presenter said, describing a recent emergency repair and subsequent installation of a 14‑inch ductile line.

The presenter highlighted a specific vulnerability in the city's West tank, saying water has puddled on the roof and caused cracking where tension wires pass across the surface. Staff reported they found a contractor who proposed a self-leveling adhesive and epoxy coating to stop ponding and cracking, and provided a low repair estimate of approximately $200,000 to protect the tank's roof. The presenter warned that without repair the city could face a full tank replacement on the order of $3,000,000.

Rates and funding: staff said the cost of material and repairs in affected subdivisions will likely require a return to the council for rate adjustments. "So we're probably gonna have to come back with some rate increases in order to be able to pay for workings with this," a staff member said.

Operations and staffing: water staff proposed creating a dedicated water facility manager position to centralize inventory, maintenance and MS4 compliance across pumps, PRVs and other facilities. The proposal argued that a full-time position would keep facilities inspected, manage inventory (which historically has not been audited) and improve maintenance scheduling.

Next steps: staff will refine cost estimates and bring formal budget requests forward; council members asked for follow-up on funding sources and timing, with some discussion about continuing to use outside consultants while building in-house capacity.