Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Equipment Purchase topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board discusses town’s $550,000 vactor truck purchase, contamination controls and cost-sharing
Summary
Whiteland staff told the Stormwater Board that the town council approved a $550,000 vactor/hydro-excavation truck; the town intends to split budgeting across water, sewer and storm utilities, and staff said IDEM clearance and decontamination protocols allow shared use if sanitary digs are followed by decontamination.
Town staff updated the Whiteland Stormwater Management Board on a council-approved purchase of a vactor/hydro-excavation truck and how the town intends to budget and operate the equipment.
Staff reported the council approved the purchase at $550,000 and said the town budgeted the cost to be split among water, sewer and stormwater (one-third apportionment used for budgeting). Staff emphasized the truck’s functions — hydro-excavation (using water to expose underground infrastructure) plus vacuum and jetting capabilities — and explained the sanitary-contamination risk when the vacuum is used in sanitary/sewer work.
Town staff said they discussed cleaning and decontamination procedures and explored options such as separate attachments or thorough decontamination after sanitary digs. According to staff, the town cleared the shared-use approach with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) provided the truck is properly decontaminated after sanitary operations. Staff also said demonstrations and limited training were conducted with vendor representatives and that the truck’s delivery is likely around May. The presenter estimated asset life for this class of equipment at roughly 15 to 20 years.
Board members discussed how costs would be divided in practice (one-third allocations vs. usage-based splits) and acknowledged that while the truck would support multiple utilities, some functions require extra cleaning and operational care.
