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Council approves redirecting West Shore Drive project funds to extend sewer stubs to lakeside homes
Summary
Public Works will shift an approved West Shore Drive project from a deep manhole reroute to extending sewer service stubs to roughly 62 lakeside residences and rerouting a force main to mitigate odor; council approved the revised scope without increasing the project budget.
The Moses Lake City Council approved a revision to the West Shore Drive/Grama Stewart sewer project scope, redirecting previously budgeted funds to extend sewer service stubs toward lakeside properties and to reroute force mains that are producing odors at a deep manhole near Fairway Drive.
Public Works Director Richard told the council the project originally budgeted at roughly $700,000 would be repurposed after Grant County moved up its roadway reconstruction schedule, preventing the city from bidding and constructing the originally scoped deep sewer work before the county contractor arrived. Rather than delay, staff proposed using the funds to extend stub connections to approximately 62 residences between Fairway Drive and Road 4, enabling quicker connections for homeowners and supporting a Grant County Conservation District grant application to reimburse property owners for connection costs.
Richard said repurposing the project could reduce overall costs compared with the original scope and would include rerouting the existing force-main connections to a shallower manhole to reduce odor impacts at the problematic drop manhole. He told council he had discussed the revised approach with county staff and planned to provide the county preliminary plans next week so the projects could be coordinated.
Council approved the scope-change motion. Richard also said the conservation district is pursuing roughly a $500,000 grant to subsidize connections and reimburse the city for stub-out costs for eligible property owners; that grant could increase the number of homes served without additional city subsidy. Council members praised the interagency coordination and the decision to prioritize taking septic systems off the lake.
Why it matters: Extending sewer stubs to lakeside homes addresses environmental concerns about nutrients entering the lake from aging septic systems and provides a pathway for property owners to connect without the city shouldering full on-lot costs immediately.
What comes next: Public Works will finalize preliminary plans for county coordination, prepare the project for bid, and work with the conservation district on grant and reimbursement mechanics.
