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Water board pushes to secure generators for four pump stations; FEMA, KIA funding discussed
Summary
The County Water District board discussed buying permanent and portable generators for four main pump stations, considered diesel fuel and security needs, and agreed to seek grant funding including FEMA hazard-mitigation and Kentucky Infrastructure Authority assistance to cover costs.
The County Water District board discussed plans to equip four main pump stations with backup generators and agreed to pursue grant funding and quotes to move the project forward.
Board members and staff said the district needs reliable backup power after sustained outages during recent winter storms. Board member William Lemaster and staff described options including permanently mounted generators with automatic transfer switches and pull‑behind (portable) units with quick‑connects. Speakers emphasized diesel-fueled generators over propane, citing cold-weather reliability.
The board heard from a staff member who said the district has a propane unit at Spouse Creek that has performed poorly in cold weather and suggested selling nonfunctional units and replacing them with diesel units where feasible. The board discussed the need to pour concrete pads, add diesel fuel tanks or use generator-mounted day tanks, and add or extend fences around pump sites to deter theft.
Benjamin Hamback (identified in the meeting) and an engineering representative described next steps: collect project profiles, get quotes for permanent and pull‑behind units, and prepare applications for grant programs. Hamback said the district has obtained generator funding from FEMA hazard-mitigation programs for other projects in the region and that the district’s hazard-mitigation planner wanted to lead the application for this work. He also said a hybrid FEMA/other funding application approach was possible.
Board members discussed sizing. Several participants recommended 25 kilowatt generators for stations; one board member said they preferred to “overpower” rather than underpower a station. Staff cautioned that final sizing and cost estimates require quotes and site assessments. The board asked staff to obtain estimates for permanent and portable systems and to include the cost of fencing and concrete pads in those estimates.
On motions, the board made a procedural motion to discuss generators as a formal agenda item and then voted in favor of pursuing quotes and funding conversations; the discussion produced no binding procurement commitment beyond directing staff to obtain estimates and pursue grant opportunities.
The board also discussed fuel logistics and maintenance: staff proposed weekly exercise runs (short run cycles) to keep generators operational and suggested coordinating bulk fuel deliveries to keep tanks topped off during prolonged outages. Several members noted that if grant funding is delayed, the district could purchase portable units in phases.
Why it matters: the district relies on four large pump stations to keep county water flowing. With repeated cold-weather outages, board members said permanent or quickly deployable backup power could reduce service interruptions and public-safety risks.
Next steps: staff will collect quotes for permanent and pull‑behind generators, confirm preferred fuel type (diesel), assess fencing needs for each pump station (Denny Pump Station was noted as lacking a fence), and work with the hazard-mitigation planner to prepare FEMA and KIA funding applications. The board did not set a procurement deadline.
