City weighs major wastewater repairs and replacing failing disinfection equipment

City utilities staff presented a detailed status report on a series of capital and maintenance needs at the wastewater treatment plant and asked council to consider funding options.

The report identified several discrete needs: recoating and cleaning a clarifier that had been largely rebuilt; repairing a jockey/effluent pump with a quoted repair cost of about $53,000; addressing recurring failures in the sodium-hypochlorite-to-bleach generator units that produce disinfection chlorine; and broader diffuser and tank-floor repairs. Staff said generators that once lasted about five years now fail in roughly three and that replacing all affected systems could cost multiple millions; staff offered rough figures in the meeting (a full replacement estimate discussed in the packet was around $7.8 million) while also noting lower-cost alternatives such as switching to delivered bleach and staging work over time.

Why it matters: The generators provide on-site chemical disinfection; continued failures force either costly replacements or operational changes (bought-in bleach), each with trade-offs for long-term operating costs and plant safety. Staff stressed the risk of degraded treatment efficiency if mixers, diffusers and grid removal systems remain impaired.

Financial options: Staff suggested the council consider SRF (State Revolving Fund) low-interest loans, CIPs, or phased borrowing to smooth debt service. Several council members asked for audit and cost-analysis follow-ups and for staff to return with a prioritized, costed plan rather than an all-or-nothing request.

Next steps: Staff said they are working with an engineering firm on a cost-analysis study to recommend an implementable path; the council requested additional financial scenarios and clearer estimates before a funding decision.