[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6325651,"mediaKeyId","2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd","parentId",2332520,"title","Board recommends adoption of updated water and sewer service area plan; identifies future upsizing projects","audioSeconds",1729,"startMs",5151000,"endMs",6880000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd&start=5151&end=6880","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd/thumbnail_5151000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325651/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/Board-recommends-adoption-of-updated-water-and-sewer-service-area-plan-identifies-future-upsizing-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325651-5dbdc7b374e9b1a720015a818163244c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775392293&Signature=TN-O78YeVDx~xqoA0bDN5Vt2Ma2VnP7BsrVX-H~2gnDBJgwyVBq~vJjfcgZTkHmu7GGJDWjzOYG6OUGq6~zTdLRQn0-~lhy1N9Bz9F0JAID0w65-QJGJxj1-lt53S3ePdlW0eVL0QLGfsRdl1UFwyf~4BThNPlONgQS6QrqcYwus7V6CJGXcALhvZ5QOB0xo7LyKMtnnRnT59gIiRwiSXJTPaJbwsPVNF0crO48gj13v4EtbpTSwsZu1iT6tLIl0aBCBVrAGc78ETI6Qr0-8a5tVCtmWHMRFyurcSqqR24jX0bwL3lPlC~mVG6iUk0LJqrZhACBy7eHMpaZOwLjulw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of River Falls, WI","date","2025-02-18T18:43:21.62Z","article","The Utility Advisory Board recommended city council adopt an updated water and sewer service area plan the board approved Feb. 17. The plan, prepared by consultant Strand and reviewed by city staff, is required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for long-range utility planning and to coordinate growth with sewer and water infrastructure.

Chris Bunch of the city’s engineering staff walked the board through the plan’s key elements: the sanitary service area (about 3,600 acres), the urban area boundary established in the 2023 comprehensive plan (about 14,200 acres) and a one-mile planning buffer (roughly 30,600 acres). The plan uses the comprehensive plan’s future land-use map to model projected flows and assigns recommended capital projects and timing based on those projections.

Sanitary-plan highlights include a set of 11 projects the consultant identified to address peak flows and future development. Two projects staff emphasized were a north Lehi interceptor project (identified as F2 in the study), and an existing 24-inch main shown as F5 that the study recommends upsize to 36 inches to reduce a bottleneck feeding the treatment plant. Several of the consultant’s projects are contingent on additional development within the designated urban area boundary.

On the water side, the plan identified recommended projects to boost fire flows and pressure stability, including a proposed north-zone well (roughly a 1,000 gallons-per-minute supply) and a proposed east-zone reservoir and booster upgrades to support future development and higher fire-flow demands. Staff noted that some water recommendations may be tied to growth timing while others (like a redundant north-zone supply) address resilience and fire-flow reliability.

Board members asked about coordination between utility projects and other planned work — for example the Kinney River corridor and street projects — and staff said they will pursue phased approaches and seek opportunities to combine trenching or river-crossing work where possible to reduce repeated disruption.

The UAB’s recommendation will go to the city council for final adoption. Staff said they will also remove outdated language referencing a Historical Sewer Service Area Technical Advisory Committee (which no longer exists) before the council packet is finalized.

Why this matters

The updated plan sets priorities and estimated costs for future upsizing and extensions needed to serve growth and to reduce infiltration and peak flows. It also forms the technical basis for impact-fee calculations, CIP scheduling and DNR review.

What’s next

The board’s recommendation moves the plan to city council. Staff and consultants will refine a few packet items (public-participation language) and will continue coordination on timing and project phasing with other public works projects and DNR reviewers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","River Falls Utility Advisory Board 2/17/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Utility Advisory Board recommended city council adopt an updated water and sewer service area plan; the study identifies sections of interceptor that may need upsizing and maps future water-system improvements needed to support growth and fire-flow demands.","taxTitle","River Falls, Pierce County, Wisconsin","taxId",69651,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6325646,"River Falls resident urges board not to remove Junction Falls Dam, faults urbanization as main threat",297,53000,350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd&start=53&end=350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd/thumbnail_53000.jpg","/articles/6325646/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/River-Falls-resident-urges-board-not-to-remove-Junction-Falls-Dam-faults-urbanization-as-main-threat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325646-98bd1c2ba2e3cf55fad0f0dbde6bd6dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775392293&Signature=gkM8sjrbdF03lPbR8XqoFoLZQw-Mm6bVblXLif5TQlHosQA3khNHqPF6W35~a3konV1PiPqgTF6rJqGDfqbsPDs3aWKZRyv3aoZPpqlRvPT0wMfjFubd6MdTt6-M~A2aPBmCMNsLHkD-7lQaeoMB08zU13sPDgxZKSclgY4Y1HjN6aQXhT5mex~fEZ0LPvmUnze7P3db-aPm4~MoyUu4BaqfTp0RVkeYFU7nXHCjmdC4yggxDsdxW~kcSgqj~4yT5jgPYeUc2NL7GNfLF-O9egJ8q3eN48O6P0pbPLhwl9uo5LGp6CcyQtK8TSGY6qQmJ~qMT4CfK6307p8HzKvAIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Patricia LaRue of 49 Marcela Court addressed the board during public comment on Feb. 17, urging the city not to remove Junction Falls Dam and warning against attributing poor river conditions to the dam rather than to growth and stormwater impacts.

LaRue said the River Falls utility’s FERC relicensing submission (a multi-hundred-page filing) cited a Kinnickinnic watershed appraisal that identified rapid urbanization as the most significant threat to the watershed. She also cited Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources classifications in the utility’s filings: portions of McKinney (the branch of the Kinnickinnic referenced in her remarks) are designated outstanding resource waters and exceptional resource waters, designations she said undercut arguments that the dam itself is the river’s primary problem.

LaRue asked the board and council “who’s right?” and urged officials to focus on non-point pollution sources such as road salts, bridge runoff and litter associated with increased tourism and development. She said the city is marketing a “20-foot waterfall” behind the dam and reported that the city was proposing to spend $20,000,000 to remove the dam — a figure she recited during her remarks. She concluded: “Junction Falls Dam is not the threat. Don't think that removing the dam and draining Lake George is the answer to keeping a healthy Kinney River, especially not at $20,000,000.”

Her comments were entered as part of the public-comment portion of the meeting; they were not acted upon in that session.

Why this matters

The fate of Junction Falls Dam and Lake George is a focal point for local residents and environmental groups. LaRue’s remarks point to a broader policy question about whether habitat and water-quality concerns are primarily driven by aging infrastructure, the dam itself, or by watershed-scale land-use changes such as urbanization and roadway runoff.

What’s next

The remarks were recorded in the meeting’s public-comment record. Any formal action regarding the dam or related removal/rehabilitation proposals would require a future agenda item, staff analysis and (where required) environmental and regulatory review.","Resident Patricia LaRue told the Utility Advisory Board on Feb. 17 that removing Junction Falls Dam would not address the principal threats to the Kinnickinnic River and urged the city to focus on urbanization and non-point pollution sources instead of dam removal.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6325656,"Board approves 2025–26 sanitary sewer lining contract; staff emphasizes minimal disruption",1353,3735000,5088000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd&start=3735&end=5088","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd/thumbnail_3735000.jpg","/articles/6325656/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/Board-approves-202526-sanitary-sewer-lining-contract-staff-emphasizes-minimal-disruption","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325656-28df0b5de07a6b514356279087e40a92/orig.mp4?Expires=1775392293&Signature=NTHLkcs94xpk2SvHvy4MASDomNGcJ-IbRnRic3XdxZCuS5NRIgh8WLquWUyNSySWTV2bCT8Vsu3NDyEB7HRGMYAdz3crsVX6pShBaHESx9MWv7Ypw4w4DXVTS3TuRMox7thDpYgUepnuO6LANfScS3ErIb8ZjBghc0al08blrF~Inxrs3Vay4hYqrl5Kzn04VOGMj7LWizDyLmzUHxivRV9EriA50NC3Cl4FWNQNJhD9OZK8c-Cggv5IwpwbJrneNU0fk0NSK6v2ajHcgJKPp2Qn7h69R7EnMvjyN3m8Ssl8vR-N4rZp8vIfaAnmkuttsMyLRVxwDuWHnfldNgcjWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utility Advisory Board approved the 2025–26 sanitary sewer cured-in-place lining project on Feb. 17, awarding the work to Insituform, the low bidder among four respondents. Staff described the work as trenchless lining (CURED-IN-PLACE PIPE, CIPP), a ‘pipe within a pipe’ technique that reduces the need for open excavation and extends the life of existing mains.

Tamara Jaworski, the city’s engineering technician who manages the lining program, told the board that crews televise and clean mains before lining and then return to cut the lined pipe open at laterals. She said the operation typically causes a temporary loss of sewer service at individual homes for about 6–8 hours during the cut-and-reopen process; crews place door hangers in advance and, in rare cases where residents have medical needs, contractors must provide alternative sanitary facilities at the contractor’s expense.

Jaworski said the last time the city ran a major lining program was 2020 and that the plan seeks to reduce the number of mains rated “5” (highest urgency) from 43 to about 21. She described the value proposition simply: a one-day disruption for a given lateral generally adds about 50–60 years of useful life to that pipe.

Bids were lower than staff’s conservative estimates; Insituform was the apparent low bidder and staff recommended award from the sewer utility funds. The board approved the resolution by voice vote. Staff said they will require the contractor to finish work each construction season by an early-October deadline to allow staff time to review video deliverables and require remediation if excessive ripples or defects appear in the liner.

The board also discussed practical details of homeowner notification and temporary bypass operations. Staff said they will send a pre-construction letter to affected customers and require door hangers several days before work. If a household requires special accommodations, the bid requires the contractor to supply a porta-potty at the contractor’s cost; staff noted the city had provided such accommodations in one prior case.

Why this matters

Cured-in-place lining is a lower-cost, lower-impact method to repair buried sanitary mains compared with full excavation and replacement. The board’s two-year program is intended to lower routine maintenance burdens, reduce infiltration to the wastewater plant and extend asset life.

What’s next

Staff will finalize the contract with Insituform and hold a preconstruction meeting with the contractor, then circulate notices and door hangers to affected customers before the work begins. The contractor’s video deliverables will be reviewed and must meet acceptance criteria before final payment.

","The board approved a two-year sanitary sewer cured-in-place lining project, awarding the contract to Insituform. Staff said the trenchless lining adds roughly 50–60 years of service life with limited homeowner disruption (typically 6–8 hours per affected property) and the winning bids came in lower than conservative estimates.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6325661,"Utility board approves Gulfview tower reconditioning; awards project management to SEH",1959,1342000,3301000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd&start=1342&end=3301","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2332520-a387fb7dc6c61e53c66a3bf9c6bfb1bd/thumbnail_1342000.jpg","/articles/6325661/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/Utility-board-approves-Gulfview-tower-reconditioning-awards-project-management-to-SEH","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325661-7ffabd2107b0820a62bf47a9784be779/orig.mp4?Expires=1775392293&Signature=iE4Zc3zhTdkIE3R8eUWj3~svl5H0d6DqsKQLMSv6CS1Bge3TMzwu2P~Fdh~V29ZzIT14RMhFpC9EhnqTmTwiHtBnkFeAJMMT7iKaAggdoK6uDmY6ALeREO~f8PQvmQzrept~~D7HfqZEtnAlqF8CNciVfxvEhoHwTD~U6U518BMbmFLQKDKFY1VVBNfaeVkqu4vDcKtsZkjexHJAXW8IB7HanzAyYtYYBIIy8fCyouk5TKOKZOBp197mMQ9VuxikKn1iVfbfg1evb66lTp-FVhTCF2jhvl8wKB0OJ7rwAgvsPabnyHqdSS-n~n~622-lPVeyDbktbQUPzHQmWVTu4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utility Advisory Board on Feb. 17 approved reconditioning work for the Gulfview Water Tower and separately authorized construction project management services, advancing a program city staff said is aimed at stopping interior and exterior corrosion and restoring the tank’s coatings.

The reconditioning contract was awarded to Clear Creek Coatings Limited as the low bidder for a project staff described as “roughly $500,000,” including a $100,000 alternate to replace a riser/standpipe inside the tank if inspection after removal of insulation shows that work is required. The board also approved hiring Short Elliott Hendrickson Incorporated (SEH) to provide construction project management for the work; staff identified SEH’s role as including preconstruction meetings, on-site monitoring of containment and a final inspection.

Board members and staff said they favor proceeding but sought clarifications about contingency spending and the limited extended warranty included in the bid. Board member Kevin said the additional warranty option was framed as “an insurance policy” that staff would review further before exercising; staff said the contract resolution authorized them to add the warranty but that they would return to the board with further details on coverage and claim history before committing the extra $10,000.

Staff presented photos from a recent robotic inspection showing interior corrosion and several pinholes in the standpipe and exterior corrosion on platforms and fittings. Dean Seemuth, who led the presentation, said the bid includes sandblasting, spot welding of corroded areas, concrete repairs at the tower base and coating work inside the bowl and on accessible interior landings. He warned that the $100,000 standpipe alternate is a contingency and that crews may not have to spend the full amount if repairs are smaller than worst-case expectations.

On containment and neighbor impacts, staff said the contractor will curtain and sandblast the tower using fast-drying paint; they acknowledged prior incidents (a sandblast dust problem in 2014) and said they will coordinate with nearby properties — notably a nearby golf course — to manage temporary access and reseeding needs. The board was told planned shutdowns for the tower repaint are expected in warm weather and that the work will likely require about six weeks of tank outage once scheduled.

On corrosion-protection approaches, staff described an insulating, condensation-reducing paint called out in the bid packet and confirmed that cathodic (sacrificial) protection components would be replaced as part of the scope. Seemuth also noted the use of robotic inspections to avoid risks to human divers; the city’s prior internal policy change came after a historical fatality in a tank elsewhere.

Board members also discussed whether to keep project management in-house in the long run or continue using outside firms for specialized tower work. Staff said the city lacks certifying personnel for some tower-specific tasks and that SEH’s familiarity with the inspection and bid package (it performed the inspection and prepared specifications) argued for continuity on this project. Board members said they would press staff to seek savings and to explore internal certification or consortium approaches for future projects.

Both resolutions (reconditioning award to Clear Creek Coatings Limited and SEH project management) were approved by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution awarding Gulfview Water Tower reconditioning to Clear Creek Coatings Limited — motion made/seconded; approved by voice vote (unanimous on record). Note: bid described as roughly $500,000 with a $100,000 alternate for internal riser replacement; schedule and start dates to be finalized in spring. (Referenced in transcript at presentation start and vote: topicintro/topfinish.)

- Resolution awarding construction project management services to Short Elliott Hendrickson Incorporated — motion made/seconded; approved by voice vote (unanimous on record). Staff emphasized SEH’s familiarity with the inspection and bid documents and noted the project-management fee reflects transfer of construction liability and on-site oversight.

Why this matters

The Gulfview tower serves a defined pressure zone and local customers; deferred maintenance has created interior and exterior corrosion that the city’s inspection found requires more extensive work than simple overcoating. The project is intended to restore structural and coating integrity, reduce interior condensation and extend service life while managing short-term service disruptions for neighbors.

What’s next

Staff will finalize contract documents and scheduling, return with details on the optional extended warranty coverage and either exercise (or decline) the $100,000 riser replacement alternate based on post-insulation inspection results. Staff said they expect the work to occur in warm weather and will notify adjacent property owners in advance.

","The Utility Advisory Board approved a roughly $500,000 reconditioning contract for the Gulfview Water Tower and awarded construction project management services to Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH). Board members pressed staff on contingency costs, warranty details and neighborhood impacts before approving both resolutions by voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board recommends adoption of updated water and sewer service area plan; identifies future upsizing projects

River Falls resident urges board not to remove Junction Falls Dam, faults urbanization as main threat

Board approves 2025–26 sanitary sewer lining contract; staff emphasizes minimal disruption

Utility board approves Gulfview tower reconditioning; awards project management to SEH