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Lacey staff outline 10‑year utilities capital plan; reclaimed‑water, wells and lift‑station upgrades prioritized
Summary
Public works staff presented a new prioritization process for about 150 utility projects, secured nearly $4 million in FEMA funding for the reservoir project, reported drilling two deep wells to about 800 feet, and outlined reclaimed‑water goals for mitigation and growth.
City water resources staff on May 19 detailed Lacey’s refined utility capital improvement program and a new project‑prioritization framework the city will use to sequence about 150 identified projects over the next decade.
Vince McGowan (water resources) and Terry O’Neil (utility capital program manager) explained the system: projects are split into recurring programs and individual projects, then evaluated with five consistent criteria (capacity, reliability, public health/safety, operations & maintenance/financials, and scheduling). Staff said the framework is intended to match the number of projects advanced in a year with what staff can complete.
Highlights from the presentation: staff noted a FEMA grant reported as "just short of $4,000,000" toward the Hawkes Prairie Reservoir rehabilitation; the city has drilled deep wells at the Marvin Road and Meridian Campus sites and reached approximate depths of 800 feet; Lift Station 49 needs expansion to serve projected growth; and the city’s reclaimed‑water facility is currently supplying about 800,000 gallons per day but will need to reach roughly 1,300,000 gallons per day to meet mitigation requirements tied to future development.
Staff said several projects are driven by regulatory requirements for stormwater treatment and by aging wastewater lift stations that have reached the end of their useful life. The presentation also noted the city’s work to perfect a water right at a site near Judd Hill (Source 6) by pumping and testing newly drilled wells.
Council members asked about parcel size, timeline and environmental permitting. Staff said lead times for environmental review are part of prioritization and that projects commonly require two to six years from planning to completion.
The prioritization system and program updates are informational; council did not take formal action beyond asking staff to continue advancing the program and to return with rate‑study and budget details as part of the 2027 planning timeline.
