Public Works outlines FY2026 budget needs: water plant hires, reclamation operating costs and fee changes

Public Works staff presented the department’s FY2026 budget priorities to the Provo City Council on April 8, emphasizing water and wastewater operations, capital projects and fee adjustments.

Jimmy McKnight, presenting for Public Works, said the Water Resources division accounts for the water and wastewater funds and supports both operating needs and the capital improvement program (CIP). He told the council that the city will need new operations staff — including a treatment plant supervisor and a sources manager — to run a drinking water treatment plant expected to come online in roughly 18 months. McKnight said the city is timing hires to match when full-time coverage will be required and is considering the conversion of part‑time meter-installation positions to full time to replace aging compound meters.

McKnight reviewed wastewater and reclamation items: council packets show a recent appropriation of roughly $30 million in bond revenue toward reclamation plant construction and a request for $386,000 additional operations funding in FY2026 to cover a full year of plant operation once it is online. He said most of that added cost — about $350,000 — reflects higher electrical usage for new pumps; chemical and other operating costs also rise when a new plant moves to full‑year operation.

On fees, McKnight outlined several proposed increases intended to better reflect costs: raising the after‑hours connect fee from $75 to $150, a new or clarified cross‑connection inspection fee tied to a state requirement, deposits and penalties for construction fire‑hydrant meters (a $2,000 deposit to cover a $1,900 meter), and a no‑read penalty to encourage timely meter readings. He said those fee changes were driven by inflation and long intervals since previous changes.

Stormwater and sanitation budget items included requests to add maintenance staff in targeted divisions (including a full‑time maintenance worker), a $25,000 increase to paint and striping budgets, vehicle-replacement planning for the fleet, and an increase in compost sales prices (small increases for residents with larger increases planned later for nonresidents). McKnight said the compost operation commonly sells out in spring and the city is evaluating expanding compost capacity as part of longer-term public works yard planning.

Council members asked about the ASR (aquifer storage and recovery) project and were told that key infrastructure is being installed but full operation for the Rock Canyon ASR site will not begin until additional piping and tank projects are completed. McKnight and Public Works leadership said a five‑year pilot study is complete for the ASR program and further monitoring and construction remain in progress.

The presentation included performance measures for water and wastewater (bacteriological sampling, gallons treated, meter replacement progress) and summarized previous-year appropriations and midyear supplements. McKnight said staff are balancing requests for operating positions with capital needs — adding employees reduces funding available for meter purchases and CIP in the short term — and highlighted that some administrative costs previously borne by the water fund have been reallocated among divisions for transparency.

No formal council action was taken at the work session on the Public Works budget; staff said several items will return as ordinance or supplemental requests for formal consideration in coming meetings.