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Kanosh council narrows well-project valve work after staff warns of high costs
Summary
Public works staff told the Kanosh Town Council that installing meters for the town well requires replacing at least one failing valve and likely more, presenting two price options — roughly $23,000 for a minimum fix and about $47,000 for a full set of replacements — and council agreed to proceed with the essential work while firming up revised bids.
Public works staff told the Kanosh Town Council on Tuesday that the town’s well project — now in the construction phase — requires immediate valve work if the town is to install meters and reliably control water flows.
The council heard a technical update showing two active supply lines to town: a 14-inch PVC line installed in 2003 and an older steel line staff dated at roughly 70 years. Staff said the older steel line remains in service and several valves that isolate tanks and pipelines do not fully close.
“That valve that failed was a 1979 valve … the total price they gave me is about $47,000 to do all the valves,” the town’s public works presenter told the council, calling that full set the more expensive option. He described a lower-cost option — which he called a workable “Volkswagen” solution — at about $23,000 that would allow staff to install the required meters and restore basic isolation and control without replacing every valve immediately.
Why it matters: the meter installation is tied to grant and reporting requirements and will give the town better data for future peak-demand filings and funding requests. However, the council’s contingency for the well project is limited, and the larger valve scope would consume a substantial portion of that reserve.
Council discussion focused on preserving contingency while removing the immediate operational risk. Council members asked whether work could be staged and whether some excavation and backfill could be done by town crews to reduce contractor costs. Staff said the contractor offered the town the option to perform some backfill to lower the invoice.
“We can do the minimum and still get by,” staff said, describing the lower-cost package as sufficient to proceed with the meter installation now and to leave additional valve work for later if funding allows.
The council directed staff to get firm, revised pricing and to proceed with the essential valve replacement and meter work so the well meters can be installed; it asked staff to return with any options that would preserve contingency funds while improving long-term system resiliency.
Next steps: staff will obtain corrected, hard quotes for both the minimum and expanded valve scopes, confirm any timing issues for materials and valves, and return to the council with final numbers before authorizing additional upgrades beyond the minimum required work.
