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Council moves to increase bond for Washington Avenue pump station, water treatment resiliency projects
Summary
Council discussion approved moving forward on an amended and restated bond ordinance increasing the Washington Avenue pump station and water resource recovery facility budget to about $29 million, funded largely by grants with a modest local match; separate work on Royce Road wells and lead service-line replacement planning also discussed.
City staff asked the council to move forward on an amended and restated bond ordinance to increase the Washington Avenue pump station and Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) project budget to approximately $29 million, citing recent grant awards and the need to upgrade aging equipment and improve system redundancy.
Derek (city staff) told the finance committee the requested amendment raises the project maximum by roughly $7.6 million to a total near $29 million. He said the city has secured about $26 million in grant funding for the pump station and river pump improvements; the city’s share on one of those grants is 25 percent of a $10 million award, or $2.5 million, which staff said will effectively be financed at 0% interest through a hardship loan program. The work described includes replacing river pumps that were installed in 1972 and upgrading station equipment to handle modern flood flows, improving resiliency and reducing inflow to the treatment plant.
Derek also described a separate two-phase water-supply project at Royce Road: three new wells were installed in a prior phase and well houses and piping are under construction; phase two design work is slated for 2026 with a planned construction bid in early 2027 and completion in late 2027 or early 2028. That phase adds a fully redundant power and chemical feed system so the city can continue to supply water if the primary control building loses service.
Staff said they will apply for additional grant funding (including funds through the state intended-use plan for lead service line replacement) and noted a $22 million intended-use plan entry the city will pursue. Derek indicated the city will submit grant applications in September for additional support and that some increases in bonding reflect maximizing available low-interest loan and grant resources.
Council members asked about timelines and the status of design and bidding; Derek said the pump station design is complete and bidding is anticipated in 2026, with conventional construction timelines depending on regulatory reviews. Staff also discussed prior awards: more than $1 million in previous funding for well installation and nearly $950,000 for a fluoridation system.
No final construction contract award was reported in committee beyond the motion to move the ordinance forward; staff said further approvals and regulatory reviews remain.
