Staff flags failing pump station and obsolete treatment-plant panels; price estimates reach $2 million

Public-works staff outlined several high-priority utility projects in the five-year capital improvement plan, including an urgent pump-station replacement and major electrical-panel work at the wastewater treatment plant.

Brandon (public works) said the library-area pump station, installed in 1980, has floor deterioration and hydrogen-sulfide damage that threaten structural integrity. He said engineers recommended a turnkey rebuild to meet code and add emergency bypass and force-main connections, which moved the project estimate to about $2,000,000. "It is a little bit more because they to get it to code into our specs ... which moved it to about 2,000,000," he said.

Staff also described two electrical-panel problems at the treatment plant: a land-application system panel with obsolete parts and a motor-control-center panel that operates influent pumps, centrifuges and other critical equipment. Multiple electricians told staff replacement is effectively a full rebuild because parts are no longer available and rewiring is extensive. Staff said both projects are included in the capital budget for the coming fiscal year and that they will solicit updated quotes and return to council for approval.

Council asked about timing, permitting and whether engineers were required. Staff said some projects can be completed in the fiscal year and others will need engineering and design, potentially delaying council action into later months. They also reiterated that some utility projects can be funded from enterprise funds rather than general tax revenues.