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Cedar City Council approves funds to advance new culinary well
Summary
The council voted to fund additional work to certify and tie a new culinary well into the distribution system, including a not-to-exceed $120,000 change order for special materials and a planned budget amendment to use Martin's Flat Culinary Well Fund monies.
Cedar City — The Cedar City Council on Nov. 12 approved expenditures to move forward with development of a new culinary well south of 3000 North, accepting staff recommendations after a presentation on test pumping and construction costs.
City engineer Jonathan Stouthis told the council the test pump ran long enough to show six hours of stabilized drawdown, with a measured drawdown of about 34 feet and a peak discharge of roughly "1,800 gallons per minute," a rate the state typically certifies at two-thirds (about 1,200 gpm). Stouthis said sand content measured about 10 parts per million; staff expect lower sand levels once the well is run at lower rates.
Stouthis said the council was being asked to approve installation of specialized sewer materials under adjacent townhome units — an anticipated change-order upcharge the builder estimated would be a not-to-exceed $120,000. He also told the council staff would pursue a formal budget amendment to move available funds from the Martin's Flat Culinary Well Fund to cover the $188,470 line item shown in staff materials.
Councilmembers pressed staff to clarify whether the $120,000 represented a full cost or only the incremental change order. Builder representative Tyler Melling (as identified in the transcript) said the figure was the change-order upcharge, that there is no separate builder fee included, and that itemized invoices would be supplied; he said the price could fall if procurement and weather allowed faster delivery.
A councilmember moved to accept the proposal; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Stouthis said staff will follow with a formal budget amendment and coordinate with the state on any further data the state requires for certification.
Why it matters: The council’s vote advances a local water source that staff say is near existing distribution lines, potentially reducing the distance and cost to pipe water into the system. Council members repeatedly identified water, infrastructure and construction costs as top concerns for Cedar City.
Next steps: Staff will contact the state to complete certification steps, run a camera inspection once the test pump is retrieved, provide itemized contractor invoices for the change order, and present a formal budget amendment to move Martin’s Flat Culinary Well Fund money into the appropriate line item.
