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Muskego staff to solicit quotes after Jensen Park lift station flooded; temporary repairs cost $28,000
Summary
City staff told the Committee of the Whole that Jensen Park's gate lift station — serving about 471 homes — was inundated during recent flooding, submerging pumps and the generator. Council authorized staff to solicit quotes for pump and generator replacement to expedite repairs rather than wait for a full public bid.
City staff reported Dec. 16 that the Jensen Park gate lift station was severely inundated during recent flooding and that immediate repairs are required to restore reliable sewage pumping for nearby neighborhoods.
A staff presenter (Speaker 5) said the Jensen Park lift station, described as the city—s third-largest and serving roughly 471 homes, was filled with water and sewage up to the door handle and remained that way for about 16 hours. "That is 6 feet of water that's all the way up to to it ... So for 16 hours, that was at least was covered. We couldn't get to it. Those pumps are not supposed to be submerged," Speaker 5 said.
Staff described temporary "band-aid" repairs already performed to keep the station operating, including electrical work and a transfer switch to allow portable generators to be connected. Those temporary measures have cost about $28,000 so far, Speaker 5 said. The long-term plan includes replacing the existing non‑submersible pumps with submersible-capable ("flight") pumps and raising or relocating the generator; staff proposed raising the proposed external generator about 1.5 feet as an interim measure while longer-term, more expensive rebuilding would be evaluated.
Because of the scale of the damage, staff recommended soliciting multiple quotes (three recommended) and negotiating to secure equipment and installation quickly rather than running a conventional, public bidding process that would add weeks to the timeline. Staff noted pumps take roughly four months to build from shop drawings to delivery; council members agreed that delay risked a repeat failure and gave staff consensus approval to obtain quotes and return with recommendations.
On funding, staff said an appeal of an initial FEMA denial is pending and that Wisconsin disaster funds typically do not cover utilities; as a result the city may rely on fund balance or emergency provisions and will return to council for formal approval of any large expenditures.
What happens next: Staff will solicit multiple quotes immediately, pursue available disaster funding and appeals, and return to the council with vendor recommendations and cost estimates for formal approval; the city will continue to use temporary measures until permanent repairs are completed.
