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Council hears splash pad failures, OHA rules and water-use figures; Main Street paving progress reported
Summary
Councilors received updates about a recently repaired splash pad, Oregon Health Authority permitting implications, estimated water usage and costs, Main Street paving progress, storm/lightning tree damage, and plans to use reclaimed water for park irrigation.
City staff updated the Cottage Grove City Council on park and public works issues, including a recent splash pad failure, regulatory constraints tied to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), estimated water usage and costs, Main Street construction progress and storm-related tree damage.
Director Stewart reported the splash pad was offline after a timer-box breaker failed; staff replaced the breaker and restored operation. Stewart said the original splash-pad design had been a recirculating system, which would require OHA plan review and approval because recirculated recreational water is regulated similarly to a swimming pool. To avoid those requirements initially, the city modified the installation to use city water with a 24-volt electronic on/off valve.
Stewart provided operational figures and cost context: the pad uses approximately 100 gallons per minute when active, and if it ran nonstop it would use roughly 66,000 gallons in a day. He said the OHA plan-review fee the city paid was about $1,000 and that a private third-party operator to manage chlorination and testing had been quoted at roughly $4,000 per month for seven-day-a-week oversight; staff noted that city staff are not currently qualified to provide that monitoring. Stewart said city water was less expensive than contracting third-party monitoring and that staff will research the wastewater-treatment and chemical costs associated with running the pad.
Councilors asked about long-term reliability and design: Councilor Lammerman asked whether the breaker failure was a known weak point; Stewart said the system was modified to use a 24-volt valve and that staff may need to replace the valve with a 120-volt model or choose a more robust component. Councilor Wilson asked for transparency on permit and operating costs; Stewart confirmed the $1,000 plan-review payment and the $4,000/month estimate for third-party monitoring. Councilor Zimmerman asked how water use would be accounted for in the budget; staff replied that city facilities’ utilities are currently treated as part of overall municipal operations but said they would research and provide numbers during the next budget cycle if the council requested it.
Other public-works updates City Manager Mike Sauerwine and Director Stewart reported that the South Side Main Street paving phase is complete, with remaining work on light poles, plantings and irrigation; curbs were being poured and sidewalk work on the north side was scheduled next. Stewart also said lightning earlier in the day had damaged multiple trees; staff arranged for removal of a Douglas fir that had been struck, and a large sequoia at Tenth and Main had suffered a split and likely will need removal.
Parks irrigation plans Stewart said the city is within roughly 1,500 feet of a connection point to use reclaimed (influent) water to irrigate Bohemia Park and the trailhead and plans to pursue that connection for next year to reduce use of treated drinking water on park turf.
Staff said they will continue to assess equipment reliability, regulatory requirements and water/wastewater costs and return to the council with more detailed budget figures if requested.
