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Washington Board of Public Works reviews failed pump equipment, sewer and water project updates
Summary
At its April 22 meeting the City of Washington Board of Public Works heard that a variable frequency drive at the influent pump station has failed, learned timelines and cost estimates for repairs, and received updates on Front Street water work, a Pottery Road sewer extension bid and delinquent utility accounts.
The City of Washington Board of Public Works on April 22 heard that a variable frequency drive (VFD) at the influent pump station has failed and that staff are pursuing repairs, with updates on several ongoing water and sewer projects and on delinquent utility accounts.
Kevin, a public works staff member, told the board, “I found out yesterday that our last VFD for the influent pump station at the treatment plant has finally failed.” He said the number verbally quoted so far was “about $16,000” and that if ordered soon the replacement could take “anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks.” He said staff will email the written quote to board members for approval.
The VFD failure is one of several operations issues Kevin described. He told the board a sluice gate at one influent cell broke as it was being lowered for maintenance; the gate shaft is “busted” and will require repair. Kevin said the plant has two influent cells so crews were able to close the second cell and continue operations while repairing the damaged gate. He also reported a separate, ongoing carryover project to replace pumps and bases at the influent lift station and a belt-press project at the old sludge processing plant that staff expect to start in the summer when the press can be taken offline.
On water distribution, staff reported Front Street work has paused for a week so crews can perform routine sewer-line cleaning and delinquent-utility shutoffs; work is scheduled to resume on April 28. Staff said they will return to complete service tie-ins near Oak Street so the street department can follow with paving.
The board also heard an update on a long-running sewer connection in the Pottery Road/Meadow Lake area. Kevin said the city received bids and that KJU was the low bidder; he said the Washington City Council approved moving forward at its meeting the previous night. He summarized the contract value as roughly "$38,000-ish,” noting the bid contains a contingency for rock removal that could raise or lower the final cost.
Kevin gave the board a current delinquent-utilities list, describing it as an unedited monthly report and saying that many accounts shown as three- and four-month delinquencies are already shut off and will be removed next month after staff verification. He said Teresa (a utility staff member) reviews each account and the city has adopted ordinances in past years intended to improve delinquent-account collection and payment procedures.
Procedural items at the short meeting included approval of the minutes (motion moved and seconded; board voice vote: aye) and scheduling of the next board meeting for May 27. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn (moved and seconded; voice vote: aye).
The board did not take formal action at this meeting to award contracts or to authorize the VFD purchase; Kevin said he will email the VFD quote for the board's approval once the written estimate arrives.
