The Waterford City Council voted unanimously to award a public improvement agreement to American Pipeline Solutions for $208,323 to perform “ice pigging” in the Hickman water distribution system, a city staff member told the council at a special meeting called after the regular session.

The work is being pursued after months of discolored water complaints from Hickman residents. Council members heard public comment outlining the disruption to daily life: Lynn Meshew, a Hickman resident, told the council the community has “been looking for some answers” after water that residents say is visibly discolored persisted since April, and Brandon Curtis, a Hickman resident, said the water problem is “ruining clothes…staining the showers” and asked the council to “take it to the next step.”

City staff said the problem began when a cavity failure at a Lake Road well released clay into the distribution system. Staff member Mister Stasser described the recommended approach: “This method involves pumping a slushy ice mixture into the water system via a hydrant and pushing it through to another isolated hydrant. This works as a scouring agent, effectively removing clay and debris from the interior of the pipes.”

Why it matters: staff said weekly bacteriological sampling has met state safety standards, but the clay sediment has repeatedly returned to the pipes after conventional flushing. Stasser told the council the city has been performing “aggressive system flushing 7 days a week, 12 hours a day” with minimal progress and that ice pigging has been used successfully in at least one San Joaquin County jurisdiction.

Key details and timeline: the recommended contract amount is $208,323; total project cost including mobilization and related expenses was presented as $230,155.30 and will be paid from Waterford’s water funds. Staff said the contractor would mobilize from the Seattle area “by Tuesday” and estimated the active work would take roughly 7 to 14 days. During the process, residents may see unusually cold or slushy water at times as the slush passes through laterals.

Costs and context: staff estimated recent overtime related to response at about $12,000–$15,000 and said the well rehabilitation previously performed cost about $30,000. Finance ran a quick analysis showing the Hickman system generates roughly $185,000 annually in revenue. Stasser said repeated flushing has used approximately “close to 1,000,000 gallons” or more of treated water (city staff described the volume as “probably close to 2,000,000 gallons or more”).

Council action and implementation steps: after questions from council members and public commenters, a motion to approve the agreement for project number 2025-06 (ice pigging the Hickman water system) carried 5–0. Staff said the contractor will remove collected debris, tank it, and transport it offsite; dried material will be deposited at a city drying bed before final disposal. If ice pigging proves successful, staff said the rehabilitated well (Well 272) can be reconnected to the system once routine samples show clear water.

Longer-term measures: staff and council discussed parallel efforts to secure financing to tie Hickman into Waterford’s main system at the bridge. Stasser said the city has plans and has applied for loan funding—approximately $1.5 million was mentioned as a loan option—to install a new pipeline and replace aging Hickman pipe to improve circulation and system redundancy. Staff emphasized that the Hickman system is not classified as a “failed system” by state funding categories, which affects grant eligibility.

What residents asked for: residents asked how they would be notified and whether bottled-water reimbursements or bill adjustments would be considered. Council members and staff said door-knock notifications would be conducted in Hickman before work begins and that questions about reimbursements would be handled through the city’s processes.

Next steps: with the 5–0 vote, the city manager was authorized to execute the agreement and staff will coordinate mobilization and resident notification. Staff cautioned that, while ice pigging has demonstrated success elsewhere, the city cannot guarantee a 100% outcome for Hickman given the age and condition of the pipes. The council and staff said concurrent longer-term infrastructure work remains the preferred permanent solution.