Highland approves $175,000 contract to repair century-old water treatment filters

The Highland City Council on Jan. 5 unanimously approved awarding Bid #PW-08-25 to Haier Plumbing and Heating, Inc., of Okawville, Illinois, for $175,000 to repair filters and replace media at the city’s main water treatment plant.

The measure was moved by Councilwoman Bellm and seconded by Councilman Napper; Councilmembers Klaus, Bellm and Napper voted aye and the motion carried.

City Manager Conrad told the council the plant has seven filters and the contract covers work on three of them. Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Gary Pugh said the filters "were put into the main plant when it was built 100 years ago," and described the work as removing the existing media, installing new mains and lining, and relocating some lines.

Supervisor Pugh estimated it will take about one day to remove the media from each filter and roughly 30 days for the total project. He said four staff ("three others and me") operate the plant, reporting a combined 104 hours of production per week, and that the facility treats about 1.1 million gallons of water per day.

The contract award is intended to restore and update aging filter media and associated piping; the minutes do not list financing details beyond the contract amount. The council took no separate action on funding sources at the Jan. 5 meeting.

Next steps: the contract was awarded and the vendor may begin coordinating the work with city staff; the minutes record no additional public comment or follow-up direction at the meeting.