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Officials weigh blast‑down rehabs, overcoats and new tank placement as tower work delayed
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Summary
Staff and operations personnel presented options for water tower work — from overcoats to full blast‑down and epoxy recoating — and discussed new well and tank siting to reduce reliance on a VFD‑operated well; major rehab would likely extend into next year and affect reserves.
Operations staff reviewed current options for the utility’s two water towers and described planning for a new well and replacement tank to improve system pressure and reduce reliance on a variable‑frequency drive (VFD) well. Staff said they are finalizing specifications to ensure “apples to apples” bids and that the larger tower work likely will not be completed this year because of late‑season timing.
Operations staff described multiple coating options: an overcoat for a previously aluminum‑coated tower that could extend life by several years; and a full blast‑down and epoxy recoating on the older Meadow tower that staff said would offer longer life but at a higher upfront cost. One operations staffer summarized the tradeoff: “Ultimately it's, you want it to last 5 years or 2 years or 30 years or 40 years, you know?” The committee discussed whether to budget full rehab now or stage work to reduce immediate rate pressure.
Staff and operations described the new well/tank siting effort as strategically placing a larger new tank toward the Meadows area so the existing small silver tank and its continuously running VFD well could be taken offline or used differently. They cautioned that removing a tank during construction means the remaining well will operate on VFD for an extended period, increasing operational risk if the backup well experiences problems.
Timing and procurement were discussed: a full blast and recoating job would likely take multiple months and include weather‑dependent draping and protection; staff said contractors typically include weather clauses and that the draping and dewatering schedule can extend duration. Staff warned the committee that committing to full rehab for both towers at once would have immediate budgetary impacts and could require drawing reserves or raising rates to finance the work.
Committee members discussed bidding alternates (so that critical safety items and ladders/hatches can be prioritized) and the pros and cons of epoxy coatings versus acrylic or aluminum finishes. Staff said they will convene engineers and operations staff to finalize specs and return with a priced bid package and timeline.
