There are some high-priced projects on the horizon for the city's sewer fund and although sewer rates aren't going up next year, City Manager/Engineer Steve West said it's definitely a possibility in the coming years.
The city is budgeting $270,000 for design and construction documents for a new sewage treatment plant head works station. The current head works station is a small concrete building with grinders and a series of three pumps that send the water to the treatment facility. The problem is the wet well is too small, West said, and the pumps are cycling on and off too fast.
The city budgeted an additional $1 million for the project.
The sewage treatment plant also has four aerators that put oxygen into the water and the electrical boxes for each one needs to be replaced. One replacement was budgeted for next year at $17,000. The other three will be replaced in subsequent years, West said.
The city also budgeted nearly $500,000 to rehab the First Street sewer line from Garrison Street to Bridge Street. The problem with the current line, according to West, is water is leaking into the sewer line so more water is being treated than is necessary. To fix the pipe it will cost the city $450,000.
One budget item approved for the sewer fund (and water fund - it is split 50/50) is an online payment system for water and sewer bills. The total cost of the system is $8,600. West said there have been a lot of requests for online payment and he thinks the system will get a lot of use.
Also coming out of the water fund next year is $35,000 for a new pickup truck. Although the cost may seem high, West said the truck does come with an outfitted utility bed.
The biggest expense budgeted for the water fund is $500,000 for an auto-read system for water meters. It is a drive-by system (that can be upgraded to a satellite system later). City Public Works Director Roger Sutton said the system will make it possible to read an entire zone in one day as opposed to one week.
The first phase of the four zones will be the most expensive because it involves purchasing the auto-read equipment. Each meter in the zone will have to be retrofitted for the new equipment. Although the initial cost is high, the system will be more efficient in the long run.
Contact Jessica Powell at j.powell@winnemuccapublishing.net.[[In-content Ad]]
