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Canton committee outlines sanitary-sewer capital program; WRF membrane replacement estimated at $28–30 million
Summary
Council committees reviewed a multi-project sanitary sewer capital program, highlighting an estimated $28–30 million membrane replacement at the Water Reclamation Facility and noting some work will be funded by WPCLF loans and later funding ordinances.
The joint committee of Finance and Public Properties and Capital Improvements heard a comprehensive presentation on sanitary-sewer capital projects, including work at the wastewater treatment plant and the water reclamation facility (WRF).
Service director (the presentation) told council members the city invested roughly $80 million in the plant renovation in 2013–14 and now must replace membranes ‘‘to the tune of 28 to $30,000,000,’’ a step he said is cheaper than reconstructing the plant to conventional treatment, which he estimated would exceed $100 million. He said the electrical improvements and the membrane replacement are the two largest projects listed in Exhibit A and that, from a budgetary perspective, appropriations will appear in final budget materials from the finance director.
Why it matters: the WRF work affects long-term plant performance and major capital spending; choices about membranes versus full reconstruction will determine the city’s capital and operating costs for years and involve state loan programs and grant processes.
Committee discussion noted procurement timing and funding paths. The service director said some long-lead electrical equipment has already been ordered and is expected to arrive around May, while the remaining items will be bid with the project. He said projects that will use Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) loans — including the Navarre Road Sewer Project and three large WRF projects — require separate, project-specific funding ordinances and submissions to state oversight agencies closer to construction time.
The presentation also explained the local funding share: large wastewater projects are allocated by SFE (single-family-equivalent) counts, and roughly half the cost is borne by users rather than the city. The committee did not take a final funding vote Wednesday; members were shown the full project list and told specific funding ordinances would follow.
Next steps: the committee referred the financing and contract-authority items to the finance committee (and, where required, to future ordinance votes). The service director said the city will bring project-specific funding ordinances and WPCLF application materials later in the process.
