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City reports repairs, funding requests for water and sewer infrastructure; lifeguard hiring underway
Summary
Public works staff told council they plan to refurbish Well 7 (parts and rebuilt motor), seek $250,000 to repair a digester pipe and pursue YCDA funding for a high-priority lift-station replacement; city also reported lifeguard recruitment for the coming season.
Sunnyside public works and utilities staff updated the City Council on a set of infrastructure repairs and funding requests Monday, and city staff said recruitment is underway for summer lifeguards.
Lede: Staff said materials and parts for a comprehensive refurbishment of Well 7 will be procured, that the city requested $250,000 from the Public Works Trust Board to repair a failing digester pipe at the wastewater plant, and that an $800,000 estimate for the Ninth at Lincoln lift station makes that site a candidate for YCDA 50/50 grant-and-loan funding.
Nut graf: City staff emphasized the urgency of repairs to maintain water and sewer service and identified potential grant programs that could offset roughly half the construction cost for major projects. Separately, the parks and recreation team reported 14 lifeguard applications and said the city will fund training to reach a hiring target of 25 lifeguards for summer operations.
Project details and funding Public works reported that the Well 7 work will include new 8-inch casings, new shafts, brass bearings, a new pump and a rebuilt motor; an estimate for parts and materials cited in the meeting was $90,000. The city also said it submitted an application seeking $250,000 from the Public Works Trust Board to repair a failed digester pipe. Public works staff explained that because Sunnyside is classified as severely distressed by Yakima County Development Authority (YCDA) criteria, the Public Works Trust Board prioritizes emergency projects for grant funds.
The Ninth at Lincoln lift station was described as at capacity and serving commercial flows from Popeye’s to the west; staff said YCDA funding (50% grant/50% loan) could be appropriate for the estimated $800,000 repair. Staff also provided data on the city’s Vactor truck (2006 model) and said its trade value is about $15,000–$25,000 and that major engine work had been done in recent years.
Lifeguards and other operational notes The city manager reported 14 lifeguard applications to date and that staff aim to hire 25 guards; the city will pay for required training. Other small repairs and retaining-wall work were listed with lower-cost estimates (retaining-wall repair estimated at $12,000–$15,000 vs. a previous engineer estimate of $220,000).
Ending Staff requested council awareness of funding submissions and said they will return with additional details and formal grant or loan documents as applications are processed.
