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Staff recommends repairs to pack cistern and irrigation system; potential $300K–$500K cost with environmental and utility savings
Summary
Facilities staff described a long-running cistern and fountain issue at the PAC campus, recommending repairs including inlet concrete boxes, caulk-joint replacement and pump replacements; staff estimated $300,000–$500,000 to restore reuse capacity and said functioning cisterns could save roughly $100,000 per year in water costs.
Facilities Director Dave briefed council on the PAC cistern and related water systems and said a 2018 installation has been undermined by silt, failing caulk joints and inoperable pumps that prevent the city from reusing collected runoff for irrigation and fountain use.
Staff explained the cistern’s primary environmental purpose is to capture and slow rooftop and site runoff (the cistern’s capacity was described as roughly 300,000 gallons), provide irrigation makeup and reduce the volume and rate of discharge to Marsh Creek. Dave said the city has budgeted approximately $1.3 million in the fund for the cistern project and that scope estimates to repair piping, replace pumps and install inlet boxes are currently estimated between $300,000 and $500,000 for the immediate repairs; procurement will be used to bid the work.
Utility-cost impacts: staff said moving fountain and irrigation makeup from potable water to cistern-derived water could produce meaningful savings: staff cited a back-of-envelope estimate of roughly $100,000 annual savings and said recent changes (installing an irrigation meter) already lowered fountain-related utility charges. Dave said repairs would also better protect pumps (trash-rated pumps recommended) and improve reliability.
Why it matters: restoring the cistern would both improve stormwater management for Marsh Creek and produce ongoing utility cost savings; staff requested authority to proceed with procurement and to use available fund balance for the repairs.
