Council approves two-year contract with Astera for satellite leak detection, asks staff to add protections

The Brandon City Council authorized a two-year contract with Astera to provide satellite-based leak detection for the city's water and wastewater systems at a total reported cost of $56,500 spread over two years (staff cited about $33,000 the first year and roughly $22,000 the second year).

Council members raised questions about how often Astera would scan the area and how reliably the service could distinguish water from wastewater. Staff initially noted uncertainty — "twice a year or once each year" — and then clarified that the service would perform scans once a year. The council directed staff to negotiate an addendum ensuring prorated refunds or service credits for months when service is not provided and to address limitations on indemnification and attorney-fee exposure; staff noted they preferred South Dakota law in contract language and sought to limit consequential-damage exposure.

Staff said the provider uses satellite imaging combined with municipal map data to identify a chemical signature consistent with municipal water and to prioritize areas for ground investigation. The council approved the contract and the chair said staff would include the requested addendum before signing.

The transcript records the council’s questions about detection frequency and liability but does not include a technical demonstration or a vendor presentation beyond staff summary; the exact service level agreement and implementation schedule will be recorded in the contract addendum.