City staff say sewer‑fund study nearing completion; wastewater headworks replacement and water‑system maintenance planned

City staff told council the sewer‑fund study is being finalized and that two sizable wastewater projects will be coming forward, including replacement of the headworks screen at the wastewater treatment plant and other repairs staff said will improve solids removal. The presenter said consultants “need a couple more little pieces of information from Sarah” and expected that information to be provided within days.

The presenter described the Headworks project as needing a new, finer‑mesh screen to collect solids before the ponds; staff said photographs of the existing equipment show deterioration and that the replacement will be proposed in upcoming project packages. The presenter said the finer mesh will improve water quality entering the treatment process.

Council and staff also discussed broader choices about water‑quality investments. The presenter and council members mentioned that some municipalities install equipment that brings treated wastewater closer to potable‑quality clarity and said the city will need a larger discussion about whether to pursue higher treatment standards when replacing aging equipment. One staff member said higher‑quality equipment can increase project cost (example given: a hypothetical $2 million baseline fix vs $3 million to achieve higher quality) and that choices will be evaluated during project planning.

Operational maintenance issues discussed at the meeting included golf‑course pump condition and sprinkler systems in parks. Staff said golf course pump equipment had significant deferred maintenance but that crews have performed greasing and basic repairs and that the pumps are functioning. Regarding parks, staff said some sprinkler systems were being restarted (Chinook Park was cited) and that seasonal commissioning of sprinkler heads takes time; the presenter noted limited water storage during peak holiday demand has in prior years forced temporary shutdowns of park irrigation and said staff will provide an update at the first council meeting after the holiday.

There were no formal votes or policy approvals. Direction recorded in the discussion: the consultant will receive remaining finance information for the sewer‑fund study; staff will bring wastewater project proposals and cost estimates forward when available; and staff will continue routine maintenance and provide a parks/water update to the council.

Several grant and regulatory programs were mentioned in passing during related agenda conversation: the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant was discussed elsewhere in the meeting in connection with fire staffing, and Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings were discussed in relation to fire station response times. These programs were referenced as context for staffing and response time discussion but were not the subject of a formal action in the sewer/wastewater discussion.