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Clarkston staff warn of aging SCADA, possible state water oversight fee and $200,000 spring cleanup
Summary
Town staff and a contractor told the council Clarkston's SCADA water reporting system is antiquated and may need a roughly $40,000 upgrade; the mayor warned a proposed state oversight entity could impose per-gallon fees, and one spring cleanup was estimated at about $200,000.
Council members received an update on Clarkston's water system and monitoring technology at the Sept. 2 meeting, where a contractor recommended a SCADA system upgrade and the mayor warned that proposed state oversight could add per-gallon fees affecting small systems.
SCADA assessment and recommended upgrade: Ron Pierce, the technician who moved Clarkston's SCADA controls to the town's location, reported the town's system is "extremely antiquated" and recommended an upgrade. The mayor told the council a preliminary estimate to bring the SCADA system up to current reporting capabilities was about "40.44 grand," which the council discussed as roughly a $40,000 project to modernize monitoring and reporting.
State oversight and potential fee: The mayor told the council he has opposed a proposed new state entity that would analyze water usage and be funded in part by a fee assessed on municipalities based on gallons used. He said the matter was currently under consideration at the state level with an initial implementation push "by the end of this year, for the first part of next year." The mayor warned such a fee could be substantial for Clarkston because the town lacks a secondary water source and has higher per-capita usage in some seasons.
Spring source work estimate: Council discussion identified one spring that had been removed from service because of roots and partial collapse; the mayor said a rough-order-of-magnitude estimate to clean and restore that spring was about $200,000. He said the town will need a long-range plan to both restore sources and to be able to document capacity and usage if the state proceeds with broader review.
Next steps: Public works staff and water staff (including a referenced staff member, Scott) will prepare follow-up information and recommendations to present to the council on timing, costs and options for SCADA upgrades and spring restoration.
