Carroll County PSA approves manual debris basket for Exit 1 pump station to meet consent-order obligations

The Carroll County Public Service Authority voted to install a manual debris basket at the Exit 1 pump station after reviewing three vendor bid options and discussing compliance with a consent order tied to the plant’s discharges.

Mike (staff member) told the authority the plant is “being run correctly” but remains subject to a consent order that requires additional measures to reduce inorganic debris that damages pumps. He described three bid options: a manually cleaned debris basket on rails that must be lifted and emptied by staff; a grinder/pump option that does not reliably remove inorganic debris; and a mechanical vertical screen that conveys captured material to a container. Mike said the authority has budgeted ARPA funds to pay for the work and recommended the authority choose between the manual basket and the vertical screen, recommending the lower of the two bids.

Board members expressed concern about weekend overflows and maintenance burden. “You risk more of an overflow,” Mike said of the manually cleaned basket, noting it would require routine checks and could be vulnerable to blockages during off-hours. Tracy (staff member) and other board members discussed operational differences; Tracy said the vertical-screen option would be “more automated.” The board discussed whether businesses such as Love’s truck stop should have provided pretreatment when they opened; staff said Love’s pays operating costs but did not pay for upgrades when it opened.

A motion to approve the manual debris-basket option was made and seconded; the board voted by roll call (Mr. Bryant, Mr. Collins, Mr. Slade, Mr. Jessup, Mr. Dixon, and the presiding member recorded “yes”) and approved the motion. Members asked staff to confirm with the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that the chosen option would satisfy the consent-order requirements before construction proceeds.

The authority’s staff will proceed with procurement steps for the approved bid, subject to DEQ confirmation; staff noted the work will include installation of a new manhole, plumbing adjustments and electrical wiring at the 12-foot depth location described in the bid package.