City reports pressure limitations in Burton Tank zone; operations and targeted upgrades expected to add capacity

Georgetown — Georgetown Municipal Water & Sewer staff briefed the City Council on Aug. 11 about pressure and service limits in the Burton Tank pressure zone in northwest Scott County and described near-term operational fixes, intermediate capital projects and longer-term supply planning.

Chase (utilities staff) told the council that the Burton elevated storage tank holds approximately 500,000 gallons and that portions of the distribution network in northwest Scott County were constructed in the late 1990s and early 2000s with 2- to 12-inch mains sized for domestic service. As demand has increased, portions of that network have shown falling pressure, bringing some locations close to the 20 PSI regulatory minimum for potable water service.

Staff said the city has already been testing operational changes that do not require capital expense — adjusting booster-pump station operation (Long Lick booster), tank fill/drain scheduling and similar measures — and reported immediate improvements in some neighborhoods (examples cited: locations that were near 20 PSI have increased to roughly 40 PSI after operational adjustments). Utilities staff said those no-cost operational changes could accommodate new service requests in many cases for the near term, likely covering demand for the next year depending on the pace of new connections.

For the intermediate term, the utilities department has developed a hydraulic model (paid for with grant funding, staff said) that will identify smaller capital projects such as upsizing lines, looping dead-end mains and targeted booster-station or valve work. Staff said the engineers will phase such projects so the city can seek grants and phase investments rather than pursue a single large project. Senator Thayer was mentioned as having helped secure grant funds for the hydraulic modeling.

Long-term options include additional booster stations, new or enlarged storage and external supply purchases from neighboring systems; staff noted an existing purchase agreement with the Frankfort Plant Board that runs through 2034 and allows the city to buy additional water if needed. Utilities staff emphasized that Royal Spring (the city’s treatment plant) reliably treats up to about 4 million gallons per day and that the city currently supplements plant supply through purchase agreements.

Council members asked whether city ratepayers would bear costs for upgrades in county service areas; staff said developer-funded extensions are the usual policy for new infrastructure and the utility follows a “growth pays for growth” approach for line extensions and developer-driven capital work. Staff also said the hydraulic model deliverable will include prioritized projects and cost estimates that the city can pursue through grants or budget allocation, and that some property owners may opt to fund immediate extensions themselves to expedite service.

This item was informational; no vote was required.

Speakers (attributed in this article) - Chase (utilities staff; Georgetown Municipal Water & Sewer System) - Mayor Jenkins - Council members who asked questions during the presentation

Clarifying details from the presentation - Burton Tank capacity cited as one-half million gallons (approx. 500,000 gallons). - Regulatory minimum pressure: 20 PSI (staff cited as the minimum required standard). - Operational results: staff reported pressure increases in some places from ~20 PSI to ~40 PSI following pump-station and tank-operation adjustments. - Hydraulic model and deliverable funded in part by a grant — model will list smaller capital projects and phased improvements. - Existing purchase contract with Frankfort Plant Board runs to 2034 (staff referenced additional purchase capacity under contract).

Actions and next steps (informational) - Near-term: continue operational adjustments at the Long Lick booster station and tank-operation scheduling to raise pressures where needed. - Intermediate-term: use hydraulic model to prioritize line-upsizes, loop connections and targeted capital projects; seek grant funding for those projects. - Long-term: evaluate new supply options and continued contractual purchases; include water-supply planning with fiscal court as appropriate.

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