City utility directors outline capital needs, lead-line work and cyber requirements

City utility staff briefed the Board of Public Works and Safety on March 16 about multiple ongoing and planned investments in water and wastewater infrastructure and related operational changes.

Brian Jackson, reporting for the water department, summarized a five-year wellhead protection update, the ongoing replacement of water meters (about 700 meters replaced in 2025 and roughly 2,500 converted to date out of ~6,200 accounts), and a required water-loss audit. He said the state now requires an annual cyber-security assessment for water utilities and that the utility is tracking the federal/state lead-service-line timeline: roughly 2,400–2,500 service lines currently remain 'unknown' out of about 6,200 accounts, and a plan will be required by Nov. 1, 2027. Jackson said the utility has found no confirmed lead service lines but that identification work continues.

On wastewater, staff described flow studies and smoke testing that identified inflow and infiltration and a planned Wells Drive lift-station rehabilitation. Staff recommended developing a broader master plan so upgrades at Wells Drive and the treatment plant will be sized to address citywide needs rather than a single location. Capital pressures include a planned vac truck purchase (quoted at about $435,000 in staff remarks) and a replacement of near-decade-old sewer-camera equipment (initial estimate ~$250,000); those purchases will reduce the capital fund balance in the near term, Jackson said.

The board discussed funding timing, the option of leasing expensive equipment versus a cash purchase, and the need to plan for lead-line identification and replacement obligations. Staff said they will continue the meter-conversion program and present additional updates at future meetings.