Public works committee recommends village pursue land across river for Lift Station 6 after flooding

The Germantown Public Works/Highways Committee voted to forward a positive recommendation to the Village Board to pursue acquisition of a 4.7-acre parcel across the river as a potential relocation site for Wastewater Lift Station 6.

An engineering staff member summarized the station's history and condition, saying, "It was constructed in 1977" and that subsequent upgrades in 2007 and cathodic protection extended its life but that the buried steel structure has exceeded its design life. The station, which sits at a low point in the County Line Road corridor, flooded during the August event and is at or near build-out capacity, staff said.

Committee discussion focused on the operational risk of leaving the facility in place, alternatives and cost. Staff and several members said moving the station to higher ground would be more practical than attempting major reconstruction on the existing, constrained footprint. Staff identified a parcel across the river that was not flooded in August and described a mud line in recent aerial photos showing the flood extent; the parcel totals about 4.7 acres with the majority of land on the north side of the river.

During the discussion committee members raised several financial and planning questions: how the purchase would affect budgets, whether other sites might be available, and whether a consultant should be retained to compare relocation versus rebuilding in place. One committee member requested additional cost comparisons and cautioned against a hurried purchase; proponents said the property could sell at any time and that the parcel had been discussed for several years.

A motion to forward a positive recommendation for land acquisition for Lift Station 6 to the Village Board passed with one member recorded in opposition. The committee packet shows the item has been budgeted in prior wastewater utility budgets and that a village board review would be the next step, where the board would establish negotiating parameters for the village attorney and staff to pursue due diligence.

What happens next: the matter will appear on the Village Board agenda for direction on negotiating terms and any budget parameters. Staff said a consultant, design phase and more detailed cost estimates would follow if the board instructs staff to proceed.