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Panel approves $700,000 supplemental appropriation for water meters and pump replacements
Summary
Officials approved a $650,000 appropriation for water meters and meter pits and a $50,000 appropriation to replace two failed pumps at a South Maple Street pump station after staff said widespread meter and MTU failures and long equipment lead times require immediate ordering.
A meeting of the governing body approved a supplemental appropriation totaling $700,000 to address widespread water‑meter failures and to replace failed wastewater pumps. The appropriation combines a $650,000 request for water meters, MTUs and large meters/meter pits and a $50,000 request to purchase two submersible pumps for the South Maple Street pump station.
The funding request was introduced by a utilities staff member, who said the city completed a citywide meter replacement around 2010 and is now seeing a large number of simultaneous failures because many meters and meter transmission units (MTUs) share the same service life. "We'd like to get some money in the budget now in order to place an order and have those meters shipped to us," the utilities staff member said, noting long lead times for meters and MTUs.
The staff member told the body the water request breaks down to $590,000 for standard meters and MTUs and $60,000 for larger meters and meter pits (the latter typically reimbursed by the customer). The wastewater request is $50,000 to buy two submersible pumps and miscellaneous parts to restore full redundancy at the South Maple Street pump station; staff said one spare pump was installed temporarily and the second new pump would be kept as an on‑shelf backup.
The utilities staff member said the city has sufficient reserves: the water capital reserve balance was reported at about $5.4 million and the sewer revenue fund unappropriated balance at about $2.7 million. He also described a technology shift in meter reading: the city is moving from a TWACS/power‑line carrier system to a radio‑frequency (RF) system and has installed multiple RF antennas around town to pick up readings. "All the new customers are being moved to [the] RF system," he said, adding the RF network can read meters redundantly if one antenna fails.
Council members asked about expected lifecycles and replacement progress. The staff member said MTU batteries typically last about 15 years and meters themselves can last roughly 20–30 years; he reported the city has replaced "a little under a half" of the MTUs to date. He emphasized that if a meter or MTU fails the city typically replaces both and will capture the asset change on the replacement schedule.
A motion to approve "Resolution 8-2025-1, authorizing supplemental appropriation for the water distribution and wastewater collection division" was made and seconded. The clerk called the roll; members Newlove, Jesse, Wagner, Hogan and Susak voted yes and the motion was approved.
Staff said the immediate next steps are to place orders to cover failures into 2026 and to include additional funds in the 2026 budget as needed if replacements continue at current rates.
