Provo board gets update on Wasatch drainage options; consultants to refine design and bid

The board received a technical update on Sept. 9 about remediation options for ongoing water intrusion and soil saturation problems at Wasatch (site name used in district discussion). Consultants have proposed a conceptual approach using repeated perimeter "chimney" drains tied into a blanket drain and collector pipe system rather than a full open‑cut blanket installation. District staff said AGEC and IGES (consultants named in the meeting) differ somewhat on approach and recommended the board seek a consolidated design and bid. The district asked IGES to finalize a design and submit a bid; staff said IGES expected to deliver a more complete plan within about a week. A staff representative summarized: the proposed design would place drainage elements at intervals (shown conceptually on the plan) and direct water into a subsurface collector. Board members pressed for clarity on demolition scope, geogrid impacts, constructability and a full cost comparison that includes the incremental expense and community disruption of retrofitting now versus installing the preferred solution during initial construction. One board member asked staff to quantify the "opportunity cost" of deferred corrective work – that is, how much more the district will pay in labor, materials and program disruption by doing the repairs post‑construction than it would have cost during the original construction. Staff and consultants said they will provide a consolidated recommendation, final drawings suitable for contractor bids, and a cost estimate for the preferred design before the board’s all‑day meeting. The board noted weather and paving season constraints that may delay some exterior work until spring and asked staff to include timing and phasing options in the next update.