Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Greenfield staff report failing Tyler lift station; temporary bypass costs $9,000 per month
Summary
City staff told the council the Tyler lift station is offline after repeated pump failures and cavitation; pumps are unrepairable, a bypass pump and buried pipeline are in place, and short‑term repairs are estimated at about $140,000 while a new station could cost $1.3M–$2.4M.
Public works staff reported to the Greenfield City Council that Phase 1 of the Tyler lift station is offline following repeated pump failures and capacity/cavitation problems that began earlier in the year. Staff said they removed the pumps, installed a temporary bypass trash pump, and buried a bypass pipeline across El Camino Real to reopen the street.
The presenter said the city discovered in April that the existing pumps were not salvageable and "it—s going to take four to six months to procure new pumps." Staff outlined a phased approach: procure replacement pumps and VFDs (variable frequency drives), perform short‑term restoration (mobilize contractors, replace pumps, volutes, impellers and motor adapters), then operate the repaired station while designing and building a permanent new station. Short‑term restoration was estimated at about $140,000; a new lift station was presented as having two options priced at roughly $1.3 million and $2.4 million.
Staff also disclosed operating costs for the bypass system, saying the temporary bypass pump is costing the city $9,000 per month and burying the pipeline to open the street cost $52,800. Council members pressed staff about contingency plans and vendor responsiveness; staff reported that Smith & Loveless, the manufacturer of the installed pumps, builds to order and has three‑to‑six month lead times, and that retrofitting alternatives have been difficult because many small older stations lack available plans and off‑the‑shelf pumps.
Council members asked for more local sourcing of parts and expressed frustration at recurring failures and emergency costs. Staff said they continue to search for retrofit options and distributors while planning the procurement of new pumps and necessary control systems, and that the bypass will be maintained as a backup until the lift station stabilizes.
No formal council action was recorded on the Tyler lift station update; the item was an informational staff report and subsequent council discussion.
