Muscatine council gives consensus to pursue new Papoose Pump Station design and funding

A consultant and city staff told the Muscatine City Council that the Papoose Pump Station, built in 1963 and sited within the floodway, is deteriorated and should be replaced rather than repeatedly rehabilitated. After questions about costs, operations and funding, the council gave staff verbal consensus to begin design work, install flow meters and pursue funding options.

The recommendation comes as part of the West Hills Sewer Separation project, which separates stormwater from sanitary flow in a watershed that serves about a third of the city. Consultant Candace told the council the station's precast concrete panel walls are bowing, exterior stairs and doors are deteriorated, the dry well piping and supports are failing and the wet well is undersized. "We propose that the city budget about $13,700,000 for this project," she said, describing that figure as construction plus engineering,…