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Council approves replacement of aging control valves at water purification plant
Summary
The council greenlighted a contract to replace large domestic control valves at the water purification plant after receiving the lowest responsible bid. Staff said valves are over 20 years old, solenoid-operated, and replacements will be staged over three to four months to avoid service disruptions.
The City of Long Beach moved Monday to replace aging domestic control valves at the water purification plant, authorizing the city manager to execute a contract with the lowest responsible bidder, Benson Contracting.
City staff explained these valves govern flow from the purification plant to the city distribution system. The valves are said to be in excess of 20 years old and beyond their useful life; staff described failure modes such as fractured stems that can leave a valve stuck in position and complicate emergency repairs. The work will be staged one valve at a time to avoid interrupting water service; staff estimated about three to four months to complete the work. The valves are on approximately 12-inch mains.
Council members and members of the public asked broader questions about water costs. City engineering staff described system constraints: several wells are 60–70 years old, two wells were out of service, and the system routes water to two 2-million-gallon elevated tanks. Staff said those age and maintenance factors contribute to higher operating costs and that the plant operations team takes extensive care of the system. City staff agreed to check what additional public-facing information could be added to the annual water-quality report or the city website.
The council approved the contract as part of a block vote on items 1 through 9.
