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Public Works director outlines water, sewer and AMI meter plan; city relies on St. George for wastewater treatment
Summary
Public Works Director Tom told the Ivins council on March 5 that the department prioritizes water safety, sewer maintenance and pavement preservation, and has internally selected an AMI automatic meter system to present to council; Ivins conveys wastewater to the St. George regional treatment plant and must maintain MS4 stormwater permit compliance.
Tom, Ivins’ Public Works Director and City Engineer, told the council the department’s top responsibilities are delivering clean drinking water, operating the sewer collection system, maintaining stormwater controls and preserving pavement for public safety and quality of life.
Tom said the city owns and operates a sewer collection system but does not operate a treatment plant; wastewater is conveyed to the St. George regional treatment plant for treatment. He stressed preventive maintenance (cameraing, sonar testing) to avoid backups and EPA-reportable overflows tied to sanitary sewer performance.
On water management, Tom described infrastructure elements — storage tanks positioned near the mountains, booster pump stations and pressure zones sized for fire protection — and said the city is evaluating automatic meter infrastructure. "Internally, we've made a decision. And now we're ready to present our decision to you guys," he told council, indicating staff selection of an AMI system is complete and will be brought to council for review.
Tom also reviewed transportation and street responsibilities (about 60 miles of paved road), pavement preservation as a funding priority, and stormwater obligations under the state MS4 permit he said governs allowable discharges and public education requirements. He described technical review committee (TRC) workflows for development, master plan updates every 5–7 years and asset management via GIS mapping of valves, lights and other infrastructure.
Council asked to reserve more detailed questions until after all departments had presented, and Tom described emergency response procedures (dispatch, on-call crew) for late-night water main breaks.
The presentation contained operational recommendations and background; no ordinance, fee changes, or formal approvals were requested at the meeting.
