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Consultant warns water tower bids outpace grant; city urged to fix sewer inflow, complete permits for pool and pursue EPA meeting on wastewater projects
Summary
Jesse Maynard of HMG updated the Pinckneyville City Council on multiple infrastructure items: a sanitary sewer replacement survey, a hydrant valve repair, Fairground Road water-main coordination, pool-permit complications affecting a DNR grant, a DCEO water-tower grant undersized for current bids, and wastewater lift-station and treatment-plant planning including a scheduled April EPA meeting.
Jesse Maynard of consulting firm HMG briefed the Pinckneyville City Council on March 10 on several ongoing water, sewer and grant-funded projects and warned the city that bids and permitting requirements are delaying some work.
Maynard said a sewer line south of Water Street needs replacement and that a survey would be performed that week to generate a cost estimate. He reported a hydrant-flow issue on Mann Drive traced to a broken valve at Water and Perry Street; the City can replace that valve without an IDOT permit. On Fairground Road, Maynard said the railroad company will relocate a signal light and Haier Plumbing hopes to start water-main work by the end of the month.
On the pool renovation, Maynard said initial guidance suggested no Health Department permit was required for the DNR grant, but standards changed and a permit is now required. He told the council that several compliance issues must be resolved before the grant application can be completed: the diving board cannot be replaced under new standards, pool-deck lighting does not comply and must be removed or splice boxes moved, the east-end stairs as configured are noncompliant and may need relocation, and the Health Department requested additional drain-grate flow data.
Maynard also said an EPA meeting is scheduled in April to discuss the Grant Street Lift Station and Wastewater Treatment Plant projects and that those two projects are the top priority. On the Mason Street water tower, Maynard said the city applied for a DCEO grant of $1.5 million but bids came in roughly double that amount; he recommended rebidding and told the council the State requires completion by 2027. "There is no way it is a $3 million water tower," Maynard said, and he estimated ongoing maintenance/painting could cost at least $500,000, recommending the city set a sensible maximum bid threshold if it keeps the grant.
Regarding the Grant Street Lift Station and wastewater flows, Maynard reported that smoke testing previously found storm sewers connected to the sanitary system and that correcting illicit sump-pump and gutter connections could substantially reduce unnecessary flow. City Attorney Don Bigham noted the city has inspection and citation authority (a $75 fine) and the court process could provide time to comply rather than immediately pursuing large capital upgrades. Maynard said historic flow figures were inconsistent: an earlier 6.5 million-gallon figure could not be located, while Jordan Brand has recorded approximately 3.5 million gallons, which may allow a smaller treatment-plant scope. Next steps include loan documents, site selection (an eastward move onto previously disturbed ground), environmental review and a construction timeline.
Council members asked follow-up questions about the need for the water tower, fire-protection pressures and rebid options; staff will return with revised numbers and recommendations for how high the city is willing to go on bids.
