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Yamhill staff report delays, design issues on new disinfection building; council discusses crosswalk grants and donating surplus hydrants
Summary
City public works staff told the council the new water disinfection building and intake screen are under construction but have run into installation and design problems; councilors heard updates on TSP/TGM grant money for crosswalks and discussed gifting retired fire hydrants to nearby Cove Orchard.
City of Yamhill public works staff updated the City Council on progress and problems with a new water disinfection building, an intake screen installation and other public-works priorities at the Aug. 13 meeting.
Staff said the new disinfection building is in construction and the city hopes to take the old disinfection room offline by mid-September, but field work has revealed additional complications, including unexpected lagoon liquid concentrations that must meet DEQ limits and a contractor error that shifted an intake screen six inches. Public-works staff reported they are clearing accumulated shell and debris and that the intake is currently yielding about 410 gallons per minute while crews work evenings to maintain flow.
Why it matters: the disinfection building and intake improvements affect potable supply and regulatory compliance. Councilors and staff said they are tracking permit and environmental-review items and expect the finished systems to improve intake reliability once the current installation issues are corrected.
Councilors also heard an update on pedestrian-safety work. Staff said the city will press the Oregon Department of Transportation and use recently awarded grants — references in the meeting included a TSP grant and a TGM grant application — to pursue safer, ADA-accessible crosswalks, thermoplastic striping and downtown beautification. Staff said having grant-backed engineering plans and a clear local match generally makes ODOT more responsive.
Separately, councilors discussed a request from Cove Orchard residents about fire protection. Staff said the small community does not have a functional fire hydrant and that the city possesses retired hydrants in surplus; council discussion supported directing public works to follow the city’s surplus-property process to determine whether a working retired hydrant could be provided (the city would not undertake installation). Council asked staff to research rules and return with options or bring the item back to council if legal or procedural steps require it.
Clarifying details provided at the meeting included a daily average water use range of about 315,000–356,000 gallons for the most recent month and the 410 gallons-per-minute intake flow while crews clear shell and debris. Staff named AKS (park consultant) and a fisheries contractor as firms involved in permitting and environmental checks regarding intake work and site disturbance.
Councilors asked staff to continue coordination with ODOT and the regional grant contacts, and to report back if the hydrant-surplus process requires council action.
