The Tulare City Council approved a task order authorizing design and bidding assistance for emergency rehabilitation of the Lactalis lift station, which staff reported had experienced discharge‑pipe failures and peeling wet‑well lining.

Jan (staff) said city operations received high‑water alarms in late November and discovered breaks in pump discharge piping; an above‑ground temporary pump is in place while repairs are planned. Provost & Pritchard, an on‑call engineering firm, proposed design and bidding assistance at a budgeted cost of $68,000 funded from CIP project SW008.

"Funding for this task will come from CIP project SW008 annual sewer lift station rehabilitation fund," Jan said. Council moved, seconded and approved the task order and authorized the city manager to approve change orders not to exceed 10% of the task order amount.

Staff said Lactalis pays industrial sewer charges based on metered flow and monitored loadings; the lift station infrastructure is city property even though the well is on the Lactalis site. The approved design task will allow the city to proceed to bidding and construction planning.