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Atchison approves inspection contract for raw-water intake screens; city pursuing collector wells design
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Summary
The commission approved hiring Evoqua Water Technologies to inspect and repair traveling water screens at the raw intake for $31,126 (budget authority $40,000). Staff said designs for one or two collector wells are expected later this year and that construction would require additional grant funding because costs could run into multiple millions.
The Atchison City Commission approved a consent-agenda item authorizing staff to hire Evoqua Water Technologies to inspect and repair traveling water screens at the city's raw water intake for $31,126, with a budget authority of $40,000.
City Manager Mark Westhoff said the traveling water screens are the first line of defense for the raw intake and that work requires both above-ground repairs and dive-team work. He told commissioners the work had been budgeted in the capital-improvement program at $50,000.
In discussion, commissioners asked about longer-term solutions for raw-water quality and intake reliability. Public Works Director Clinton McNamee said the city is working with a contractor and FEMA on designs for one or possibly two collector wells farther north along the river near Independence Creek, and expects to have designs later this year. McNamee said construction would likely require additional grant funding because ‘‘it would be multiple millions of dollars to put in the collector wells.’’
Nut graf: The immediate maintenance contract addresses urgent intake reliability; staff are simultaneously pursuing a longer-term collector-well project that would be more expensive and require grant funding.
The consent agenda also included approval of other routine items; the consent agenda was moved and approved at the meeting. The Evoqua contract will allow staff to proceed with inspection and necessary repairs to reduce debris-related intake problems.
Ending: Staff said the collector-well designs will be used to pursue grant funding when complete. No construction of collector wells was approved at the meeting.
