Centerville outlines plan to stop fluoridation, upgrade telemetry and pursue Oak Ridge tank project
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Summary
At the budget retreat, Centerville water staff described the scheduled discontinuation of fluoride injection, the challenges and costs of disposal and facility remediation, and capital needs including telemetry upgrades and a proposed Oak Ridge storage tank replacement partially covered by grant funding.
Centerville water staff briefed the City Council on April 10 on several near‑term, operational and capital priorities: the planned cessation of fluoride injection, system telemetry upgrades, the Oak Ridge tank replacement project and rising water‑purchase costs.
Lede facts: Staff said the city will cease fluoride injection on the date set by regulatory or local action (discussed as early May in the meeting), and explained that disposal and decommissioning of chemical handling systems will carry nontrivial costs. Staff presented a placeholder of $35,000 in the budget for initial corrosion remediation and hazardous‑material disposal work tied to fluoridation shutdown.
Public health and disposal points: Water staff described the logistical and environmental controls needed to stop injection, to flush and decommission injectors safely, and to contract hazardous‑waste disposal firms. Staff noted sample‑management and state‑level guidance will drive some costs; staff warned disposal could cost on the order of $12,000–$18,000 in some reported local examples and that Centerville currently holds roughly 700 gallons of the chemical in tankage that will require regulated disposal if it cannot be reused elsewhere. Council asked that staff return in a May work session with an implementation plan and cost estimates.
Telemetry and wells: Staff proposed a phased telemetry upgrade (requested $21,500 in the budget) to modernize radios, improve encrypted communications and integrate well and tank telemetry on the city’s server and GIS. The upgrade is staged: initial implementation this fiscal year and additional phases in future budgets.
Oak Ridge tank and water-purchase costs: Staff asked for $2,000,000 in the capital budget to move forward with the Oak Ridge tank replacement, noting a contractor estimate and that a separate grant (about $1.5 million) is expected to cover a large portion of cost. Water staff also described rising Weber Basin water‑purchase prices: a 14–16% annual increase that affects the city’s purchase cost this year and is projected to continue, with an FY28 estimate shown as substantially higher than current levels.
What’s next: Council asked staff to prepare (a) an operational plan and cost estimate for shutting down fluoridation and disposing of chemical stock, (b) a phased schedule and security/encryption details for telemetry upgrades, and (c) timing and grant‑offset details for the Oak Ridge tank project.
