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Wallsburg water system: interim chlorination after mapping error, SCADA and backup issues flagged
Summary
Town staff described an unintended contamination event tied to construction/mapping errors during a waterline cutover; crews chlorinated and flushed the system, and staff reported SCADA false alarms and a nonworking battery backup during a power outage.
Town staff updated the council on recent water-system problems that prompted interim chlorination and operational fixes.
Public-works staff described a mapping error during the water system cutover that left a valve improperly shown on plans. As a result, contractors pumped chlorinated, stagnant water toward a partially completed upper tank, shut the well off, and allowed chlorinated water to be drawn back into the system; residents reported a rotten-egg smell at lower elevations.
Staff said they responded by opening hydrants, flushing, and adding chlorine to the upper and lower tanks to re-establish disinfectant residual; staff reported using an application rate equivalent to about one gallon per 25,000 gallons (targeting roughly 1 part per million). They said chlorination would make the water temporarily taste and smell of chlorine while the system stabilizes.
Technical issues with the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system also generated false alarms, and staff said they were scheduling a technician (Chris Scott) to repair telemetry and PRV (pressure-reducing valve) monitoring problems. Council members also raised the battery backup system, which did not operate as expected during a recent power outage; staff said the backup may require replacement and that Alicia (staff) would review the equipment and costs.
Council members characterized the event as operational (not a microbiological contamination confirmed by tests reported at the meeting) and described the response as immediate flushing and chlorination to restore disinfectant residuals. Staff said they will monitor water quality and keep the council informed if testing indicates further action is required.
No formal policy changes were adopted at the meeting; staff said they would continue corrective work and provide updates on SCADA repairs and any needed backup-power replacement.
