Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Shelby advances water‑service‑line mapping and reports successful battery storage test
Summary
City staff reported progress identifying water‑service line materials (about 450 of 917 remaining lines identified) with a compliance deadline of 2027 and outlined a 10% per‑year replacement plan. Staff also described a successful battery energy storage system test that reduced peak load significantly.
City staff told Shelby City Council that work to identify the material of private water‑service lines is well under way and that the city must finish mapping service‑line materials on its GIS by 2027.
According to the Utilities and Streets committee report, Arcadis Engineering and Kelly Brothers have identified approximately 450 of the remaining 917 service lines this year. Staff said the city must develop an action plan that outlines a lead and galvanized replacement program, and that state or federal requirements will require a 10% change‑out per year over a 10‑year period as part of the plan.
Separately, staff provided an update on a historic smokestack at the light plant building and outlined three options under consideration: a design‑build repurposing of the light‑plant and smokestack together, engineering specifications for repurposing the smokestack alone, or engineered demolition. Staff said they will return with cost figures and recommendations in 2026.
The utilities report also included an energy update: a battery energy storage system (BESS) discharge test performed during the reported period operated near 9 megawatts and was able to reduce the city’s net peak load to below 1 megawatt compared with onsite generators. Staff said those results show strong potential for lowering transmission costs, particularly during winter peak events.
Staff noted several operating items funded by donations or existing funds: downtown decorative lighting on 58 lampposts (funded by the Fraternal Order of Eagles) and nine leaf‑pickup hauling events to date with about 268 tons collected and roughly $14,000 in expense so far this year.
Next steps: staff will finalize the water‑service‑line inventory for GIS, draft the replacement action plan to meet the 2027 requirement and return with options and cost estimates for the smokestack.
