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Council authorizes emergency repairs after Central Operations force‑main break and Dunes plant motor failure
Summary
Operations staff reported two wastewater emergencies: a grounded blower motor at the Dunes Treatment Plant and a force‑main break at the Central Operations Facility; the council authorized emergency repairs and a request to appropriate funds.
Operations staff reported two wastewater emergencies at the July 8 meeting and obtained council authorization for emergency repairs.
At the Dunes Treatment Plant staff discovered a grounded blower motor after a power disruption; staff used existing wastewater budget authority to replace the motor. A replacement panel has been ordered to reduce future surge risk.
Separately, staff found a break in the effluent pressure line at the Central Operations Facility (COF) that transmits effluent to the Dunes plant. Staff shut pumps, used on‑site storage (about 11 hours and 50 minutes of emergency storage), notified the Department of Ecology and Department of Health, hyperchlorinated discharges while monitoring lake water quality, and informed shoreline residents with door‑to‑door notices. Operations reported that initial excavation and repair estimates from the on‑site contractor were about $217,000 and requested that council authorize the city manager to enter an emergency contract and appropriate up to $275,000 from the wastewater capital fund to cover the work and potential change orders. Council authorized the emergency contract and appropriation.
Staff said testing and monitoring will continue and that they will notify the public when lake water conditions return to normal. Staff also discussed longer‑term capital improvements, including installing a parallel force main in the CIP to reduce the risk of similar outages in the future.
