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Susanville City Council approves emergency repairs for Well 3 after VFD failure
Summary
Council voted unanimously June 3 to approve Resolution 26-65A5, authorizing emergency procurement to repair a failed variable frequency drive (VFD) at Well 3; the VFD part was estimated at about $44,000 and work is expected to finish in roughly two weeks.
Susanville City Council voted unanimously on June 3 to approve Resolution 26-65A5, allowing staff to proceed with emergency repairs after the variable frequency drive (VFD) at Well 3 failed on May 16.
Acting Public Works Director Mary Panahalmer told the council the failure over-pressurized the lower zone and caused two leaks, one requiring a contractor response. She said the immediate repair work has been completed and the continuing VFD work is underway. "The variable frequency drive alone is around $44,000," Panahalmer said, and staff expects the remaining work "to be completed within about 2 weeks now." The presentation cited the city’s reliance on backup wells and noted rising summer demand as a risk factor if additional failures occur.
Panahalmer said staff is invoking emergency authority under state procurement law to avoid lengthy bidding delays for the replacement and repair. The presentation referenced Government Code section 22050 as the statutory basis for emergency public works procurement.
City Manager Dan Newton clarified procurement thresholds and that the total cost (parts plus installation) likely would exceed normal purchase thresholds that require competitive bidding. After brief questions from council members, Councilmember [motion maker not named in the record] moved to approve Resolution 26-65A5; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The emergency declaration and procurement authority allow the city to accelerate replacement of the critical VFD and restore normal operations. Panahalmer said she would issue a public notice and continue coordinating with the contractor; she also said the VFD parts are en route.
Next steps: staff will complete the remaining installation and testing, publish a notice to the public on the repair status, and return to council if further action or an expanded budget authorization is required.
