Scofield council approves $35,853 three-phase power installation to reduce pump maintenance

Scofield Town Council voted April 14 to approve moving forward with a three-phase power installation to the town pump site, accepting a balance due of $35,853.24 for the work.

The decision follows a presentation by Paul Giacoletto, the meeting’s invited presenter, who told council members three-phase power would provide constant power to sewer pumps, reduce wear and tear and extend pump life. The council approved the project by voice vote; no dissenting votes were recorded.

Giacoletto told the council three-phase pumps last substantially longer than single-phase units and require less maintenance. “Probably twice as long,” he said when asked how much longer pumps on three-phase power typically last. He said three-phase pumps cost only modestly more up front—about $300 more per pump in one comparison—while single-phase installations typically require capacitors and potential relays that add roughly $1,000 to the installation and complicate maintenance.

Why this matters: Scofield’s sewer pumps have required repeated, sometimes costly repairs in prior years; council members and the presenter argued that reduced downtime and longer service life…