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La Center staff warn of aging wastewater equipment, propose upgrades and shared-use path funding
Summary
La Center — City public-works and community-development staff reported July 9 that the wastewater treatment plant needs upgrades and that the city is actively evaluating alternatives to avoid future service failures and large rate shocks.
La Center — City public-works and community-development staff reported July 9 that the wastewater treatment plant needs upgrades and that the city is actively evaluating alternatives to avoid future service failures and large rate shocks.
Tracy Coleman, community development and public works staff, told the council the plant’s UV disinfection system is operational but becoming obsolete and difficult to service because parts are hard to obtain. The plant has added extended processing time for solids and staff have adjusted schedules to work seven days a week to keep up with current loads.
Coleman said the city remains in compliance with its NPDES permit limits but that winter high-flow events require planning now. She described planned trips to review other municipalities’ plants for potentially cost‑effective technology and said staff are seeking grant funding for a stormwater project and evaluating engineering services for a funded culvert replacement project.
On active projects, staff said a Fourth Street widening and the Breezy Creek culvert project are in design or procurement and that the city plans to use tax-increment financing (TIF) dollars to begin construction on a shared-use path next year. Council members said the shared-use path project is urgent for pedestrian safety and mentioned the city is about $750,000 short of grant funding to complete the path; the council discussed taking TIF funds if grants do not fill the gap.
Coleman also reported development activity: 51 new residential permits to date this year, 230 total permit applications in process and 34 land-use submittals so far, compared with 37 total land-use submittals for all of last year. The city recently added a code-enforcement officer; staff said there are 35 open enforcement cases with the oldest dating to February.
Why this matters Plant obsolescence and rising development increase operational risk and future capital needs. Staff said they are evaluating rate structure changes to better match sewer charges to water usage and that grant and tribal partnerships could reduce capital costs.
What’s next Staff will continue evaluating upgrade options, pursue grant opportunities, present engineering procurement recommendations and return with rate and capital recommendations for council consideration.
