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Owosso weighs $69 million membrane plant as ageing water system needs prompt repairs
Summary
City staff told the Owosso City Council that the existing softening plant will require decades of costly repairs if the city does not build a membrane treatment plant; staff is preparing an engineering RFP and the council scheduled plant tours and a town-hall meeting to discuss funding and timing.
At a City of Owosso meeting, the superintendent and public works staff laid out a multi-year plan to address aging drinking-water and wastewater infrastructure and said an engineered membrane treatment plant would cost more up front but likely reduce long-term operating costs.
The superintendent told the council that a 2023 Fishbeck assessment estimated about $53,000,000 would be required to maintain the existing lime-softening plant over the next 20 years, while a new membrane plant was preliminarily estimated in the ‘‘sixties’’ of millions (the superintendent cited roughly $69,000,000). He said he is preparing a request for proposals to hire engineers to complete a full membrane-plant design and permitting package and that the city’s capital-improvement plan (CIP) currently includes $200,000 per year for two years ($400,000 total) for that process. "Requesting a proposal is free," the superintendent said, adding that the RFP will answer outstanding feasibility questions left by the preliminary Fishbeck study.
Why it matters: Council members and residents were shown how near-term repair choices affect long-term costs and system resilience. The superintendent and staff said continuing to patch the 90‑year‑old reservoir, boilers, pipes and control systems will require recurring large expenditures and could leave the city exposed to greater risk from contamination, flood events and new treatment mandates.
City staff gave specific project and cost details. Since 2020 the city has spent about $630,000 removing lime sludge for beneficial use; staff estimated it would cost about $904,000 (last bid plus inflation allowance) to remove the current accumulated lime sludge from all lagoons at today’s prices. Other items mentioned: a filter-media replacement program that will take about three months per filter (four filters total, roughly a one-year minimum for the full project); a $470,000 roof replacement for part of the plant building that staff are deferring; recent replacement of an original 1941 backwash pump and installation of a redundant backwash capability; a booster-station upgrade to allow the standpipe to be pumped hydraulically rather than drained through hydrants; and electrical/grounding safety improvements. The superintendent said recent well rebuilds have cost roughly $42,000 and future well work may run $45,000–$50,000 depending on scope.
Staff emphasized schedule and funding realities. The superintendent said a full engineering program to confirm feasibility, selection of membrane type, pilot testing and final design would likely be phased and that the initial feasibility phase should be completed in under six months but that the complete engineering and construction pathway could take roughly seven to ten years from start to finish. He said the city is prioritizing projects that would be useful whether the city keeps the old plant or proceeds with membranes, to avoid ‘‘double spending’’ on items that would be required under either scenario.
Distribution and lead-service-line work were also discussed. Public works staff said the city continues a lead service line replacement program started in 2020 and noted recent grant funding (DRAM/TFM programs) has helped some localized projects. Staff estimated an average cost of about $10,000 per home for full service-line replacement in current market conditions; they said the EPA and the state are accelerating deadlines and that the work remains an unfunded mandate in many cases.
On water-main breaks and distribution risk, distribution staff said the city averages about 20–25 main breaks per year (depending on winter frost) at an average repair cost of roughly $10,000 each, and that that recurring repair burden will continue while many mains remain beyond their useful life. Staff described modern replacement practices (bedding, flexible pipe, looping) intended to reduce future break frequency.
Council and public reaction: Council members asked about timing, the scope of the RFP and whether any of the near-term repairs would reduce the membrane-plant estimate; the superintendent said the membrane-plant construction estimate would not be reduced by doing shared preparatory work and that delaying also risks higher costs. The council scheduled in-person tours of the water and wastewater facilities and tentatively approved a fifth‑Monday town‑hall meeting to present information to residents and discuss funding. Patrice Martin, a resident, urged staff to include comparisons showing the effect of rate increases on household budgets; another resident, Jay Harrington Goldhouse, urged the city to ‘‘do the right thing’’ and invest now to avoid public-health and property‑loss outcomes seen in other cities.
Next steps: staff will finalize an RFP for the membrane‑plant engineering and permitting work and continue prioritized repairs that provide benefit under either option. The council set dates and times for tours and agreed to host a town‑hall meeting (location and final date pending logistical checks). A formal vote at the meeting approved holding the fifth‑Monday town‑hall meeting (roll call recorded).
