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Council briefed on water/wastewater projects: meter replacement, recharge well filtration and Hilltop plant planning
Summary
Staff reported grant-funded meter replacements, the planned recharge well activation with additional filtration for emerging contaminants, and early design planning for a Hilltop wastewater plant expansion and parallel sewer interceptor.
City staff summarized several utility projects included in the recommended capital plan, including a continuing water-meter replacement program, a planned recharge well with added filtration for effluent quality concerns, and preliminary design steps for a future Hilltop wastewater-plant expansion.
The nut graf: Staff told council they have a WIFA grant for automated meter replacement programs, and that a recharge well at the wastewater plant has been constructed but staff proposes additional filtration before placing effluent back into the aquifer to address emerging contaminants (staff cited PFAS as a concern). For wastewater, staff said growth and committed service areas are approaching the plant’s capacity and that design work for a parallel outfall/interceptor and an additional treatment module is scheduled in the CIP to align with growth.
On the recharge well, staff said the well is assembled and ready but that additional filtration is recommended “before we put that water back into the ground.” Staff explained the concern relates to compounds the industry is monitoring; staff described extra filtration work budgeted so the city can operate the recharge well while protecting groundwater quality.
For wastewater, staff said the CIP includes a parallel interceptor to increase conveyance to the Hilltop plant and identified a future treatment-plant expansion as a planning priority. Staff said the city intends to time design and construction so that debt-service for the new facility lines up with the retirement of existing obligations and to avoid sudden rate shocks for customers.
Ending: Council asked staff to provide timing, costs and sequencing for utility projects and to include more data on how industrial and airport-area development will affect timing for interceptor and plant expansion. Staff agreed to return with more detailed schedules and options.
