City warns of aging PLC and SCADA needs; geyser feature shut while hydro maintenance planned

Water and wastewater staff told the Soda Springs council on Nov. 6 that the treatment plant’s programmable logic controller (PLC) is outdated and runs unsupported logic, risking repeated failures. Staff said the PLC hardware dates to models from 2008–2012 and that programming work is the primary expense; one estimate for programming work was roughly $10,000–$12,000, and staff noted $66,000 exists in the capital budget for HDMI/SCADA readiness. Councilors discussed three options: perform an immediate HDMI/SCADA replacement, do phased fixes now and a full SCADA conversion later, or defer work and accept higher operational risk.

Separately, parks/utility staff reported the man‑made geyser at the spring has been shut down after operational problems; staff plan to investigate controls and obtain contractor support if needed. Council discussed the public value of the exhibit against repair costs and asked staff to return with diagnostic findings and cost estimates. Hydroelectric generation staff said two hydro units are running well, one unit (No. 5) requires vendor technical support, and council discussed the cost of bringing vendor technicians from out of province versus managing repairs locally.

Council asked staff to pursue grant opportunities for SCADA upgrades and to provide a prioritized scope and cost estimate for PLC replacement and vendor service needs. The council did not approve additional spending at the meeting but requested staff to return with a firmer estimate and recommended next steps.