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International Falls hears progress update on water treatment plant after $4.8 million in state bonding
Summary
City engineering consultant Luke Kela told the council that filters are being reconfigured, new filters are expected after July 4, and Department of Health approval will be required before full operation; council members questioned chemical storage, safety and asked for a tour.
The International Falls City Council on Monday heard a detailed construction update on the city’s water treatment plant project following a $4.8 million state bonding allocation.
Luke Kela of Bolton Mink, the project consultant, told the council the work has moved “into the meat and potatoes of the work here,” with the plant’s filtration system being reconfigured from five filters to three to accommodate upgrades and demolition work. He said temporary electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic connections are being put in place so crews can take sections offline and remove them sequentially. New replacement filters are scheduled to arrive after July 4; Kela said installation and commissioning of the first units will take about a month and will require an on-site Department of Health sign-off before they enter service.
Kela described several remaining items: roof membrane work is complete though flashing and metal trim remain, HVAC and thermostat wiring must be finished before operators can return to the permanent lab, and new chemical rooms and tanks are being prepared. On chemical safety he said tanks will be double-walled with secondary containment and that the plant will use a polymer coagulant and fluoride (both already part of the plant’s treatment), along with standard chlorine and ammonia gas feed systems and sensors.
Councilors asked about spill risk and emergency response. Kela encouraged a joint walkthrough with local firefighters and emergency responders and offered to arrange tours for council members when the filters are being taken offline.
Why it matters: the upgrades respond to current code and aim to modernize storage, ventilation and process controls; the project is supported by a $4.8 million state bonding allocation the mayor noted on the record.
The council did not take further action on the presentation; staff and the consultant will continue construction coordination, and the council was invited to schedule site visits as milestones are reached.
