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Interim general manager announced; award, legal update and water discoloration incident discussed
Summary
The commission approved an interim general manager appointment effective Sept. 22, received an update on litigation involving SJ Lewis, recognized lead operator Dave Berg for a national award, and discussed a localized iron discoloration incident in Rivers Crossing caused by developer flushing.
The commission announced that Dan Dupniak will return to the utility as interim general manager effective Sept. 22 and will work an average of 24 hours per week. The appointment follows prior action at a special commission meeting and was presented as an administrative update.
Legal and contractor issues: staff reported that S.J. Lewis (contractor) has filed suit seeking $120 million in damages related to three contracts with an aggregate value staff estimated at about $105 million. Staff said discovery and depositions are underway, and that utility attorneys and staff will pursue restoration work and consider a claim on S.J. Lewis’s performance bond to complete outstanding restoration and landscaping work after the contractor did not respond to a September 5 letter requesting a completion schedule.
Personnel and recognition: staff announced that lead operator Dave Berg received the Operator Meredith Award from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) last week. Commissioners discussed sending a congratulatory letter from the commission and a small monetary acknowledgement; they directed staff to prepare a letter and to consider a modest gift card or similar recognition.
Customer impacts and operational response: staff described an incident in the Rivers Crossing neighborhood after a contractor flushed a new installed main and stirred iron deposits in customers’ pipes. The utility reported numerous customer complaints and one claim; staff posted notices on social media, placed signs and performed targeted flushing of the subdivision until sampling indicated clear water. Staff said the contractor performed the initial flushing that caused the disturbance and utility crews completed additional flushing and mitigation efforts; they said preliminary checks indicate the situation was resolved.
Operations updates: staff provided project updates including additional offsets on Racine Avenue, completion of paving on the Perkins project, hydro‑painting progress (briefly delayed for an off‑site injury), and status of multiple water main projects across the city. Staff also shared an age‑of‑main schedule and map showing the distribution of pipe ages in the system (about 1.8 million feet of pipe in the system as presented), noting older pipes from early 1900s and problem areas from the 1940s–1960s that often show higher failure rates.
Commissioners thanked staff for the operational response and asked for continued close coordination with the city on street projects and main replacements.
