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Utility board report: wastewater priorities, water plant schedule and infrastructure projects outlined
Summary
The utility board reported on wastewater regulatory priorities (including surface water discharge permits), water-treatment plant construction schedule (substantial completion Oct. 2025; final May 2026), multiple water-main phases completed, upcoming bidding for phase 5 and new wells, and a proposed $12,000 sustainability grant for a rain garden.
The Brookings utility board gave an extensive update to the council on recent and planned utility activity, including regulatory compliance, capital projects and staffing initiatives.
Utility staff (reported by Bonnie) said wastewater strategic priorities include aligning with surface water discharge permit requirements and enforcing a sewer moratorium that limits sewer connections outside city limits. Staff explained the moratorium is intended to protect ratepayers by ensuring fair rates and that capital costs for sewer construction are generally funded by developers or through tools such as tax-increment financing rather than rate increases.
For water infrastructure work, staff reported the water treatment plant is on schedule with a substantial completion date projected for October 2025 and final completion targeted for May 2026. Phases 3 and 4 of the water-main work and phase 3 of the interceptor are complete; staff said bidding for a phase 5 water-main project will begin in early 2025. The utility also described line replacements to remove lead-containing pipe (all but one line completed) and plans to bid work for six new wells (four in the East Well Field, two in the North Well Field) including supporting well houses and control systems.
Bonnie also briefed the council on administrative items such as canceled outstanding checks, delinquent-account write-offs, surplus property and upcoming bids. The utilities team noted a sustainability partnership with SDSU extension and an estimated $12,000 allocation for a rain-garden initiative through the sustainability council and SDSU extension.
Councilmembers received the report; staff will continue to advance permitting and bidding processes on the capital projects and return with updates as required.
