County reviews Washburn infrastructure work: water-line repair, pump-panel presentation expected, small sewer change order approved

County staff provided multiple updates tied to Washburn infrastructure at the July 15 meeting, including follow-up on a water-line repair that left a sunken segment of road, a planned vendor presentation on a pump-panel replacement and a small contract change order for the Washburn sanitary sewer project.

Water-line repair and road settling A board member reported a road settlement tied to a Water Works repair. County engineering inspected the site and staff will prepare an estimate for repair, with staff indicating the county will likely hire an external contractor for the road patch. “We paid for the valve repair itself,” a county staff member said, and added that Water Works did not notify county staff in advance that their repair method would affect the road surface. The county said it will coordinate internal staff and the property owner (Mr. Marsh) before proceeding.

Pump-panel replacement vendor to present Staff reported they are negotiating a contract extension with Urban Services for a pump-panel replacement; Urban Services will present to the board at the next meeting because work required them to take the system offline on the meeting day.

Sanitary sewer change order Mike Sharpe of AECOM described change order No. 1 for the 2024 Washburn sanitary sewer improvements, explaining crews encountered mechanical joint types and pipe sizes different from the bid assumptions. Connelly Construction proposed flange adapters and additional fittings, and deducted a line-cleaning allowance that could not be completed because of lagoon water levels. The net change order totaled just under $3,000. Finance staff confirmed the project is funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The board approved the change order.

Regulatory notes and next steps Staff said the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has inspected Washburn lagoons and that some dredging is expected; staff noted that the system is pressure-fed rather than gravity-fed, complicating televising and some investigative work. County staff will report back on estimates for road repair, finalize the Urban Services presentation on pump panels and continue coordination with Washburn operators and regulators.

Ending The board approved the small sinkage and fitting-related change order for the sewer contract, directed staff to return with a road-repair estimate and set a follow-up presentation with the pump-panel vendor.