City staff reports municipal wastewater survey: system operating well but aging; recommends impact-fee, capital planning

Public works staff presented the city’s annual Municipal Wastewater Pretreatment/Planning (MWPP) survey June 12 and told the council the sewer collection system and shared treatment plant are operating within design limits but show signs of aging that warrant planning and targeted repairs.

Zach (Public Works/Utilities) gave the report. He said Perry shares a treatment plant with the neighboring city of Willard and that the survey covers collection, treatment and financial questions the state requires. Key details he reported included: the city has about 37 miles of sewer mains, two lift stations, the largest pipe diameter is 30 inches, average pipe depth is about 8 feet, and the system was constructed in phases beginning in 1973 (with major trunk lines installed around 2006). He told the council the collection system had five sections flagged during recent cleaning and inspection that will require repair estimated at $15,000–$20,000 depending on method.

On the treatment side, staff reported the mechanical plant is rated at 2,000,000 gallons per day and that recent average daily flow was about 799,000 gallons (roughly 40% of design capacity). Biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) loadings were reported under design limits; staff said there have been no sanitary sewer overflows or basement flooding this year and no permit violations.

Staff described operations and maintenance practices: the city performs system cleaning on a three-year cycle with manhole-to-manhole camera inspections staggered annually, has a preventive maintenance program, and maintains near-complete GIS mapping of the collection system. Zach said the city has not updated its collection O&M manual or completed an impact-fee study for sewer within the past five years and suggested both are worth pursuing. He also noted the city does not currently set aside 2% of replacement cost annually toward sewer capital (a metric asked on the survey).

Other operational points: the treatment plant’s biosolids are taken to the Weber Sewer District for processing (staff said the city pays a disposal fee; an example payment referenced in discussion was about $2,000 per month), staffing at the plant is in transition with plans to hire additional operators and a manager, and staff recommended evaluating an impact-fee study and updating the capital facilities plan to ensure sufficient funds for future major repairs.

The council did not act on the survey; the item was informational and no formal motions were required.