Grand Marais to inspect water tanks, line sewer and study demand-rate pricing for large electric users

Public-works and PUC updates at the meeting covered multiple utility items: planned drone inspections of both hill water tanks and intake lines, targeted repairs to water pumps, and a plan to line the Fourth Avenue West wastewater line between Fourth and Fifth streets rather than excavate the street.

The Administrator explained the lining technology: a resin-saturated sleeve is inserted and cured in place to create a new plastic pipe inside old clay tile sewer pipe, which avoids full street excavation and extends the pipe’s service life.

Separately, a presenter named Shane described a demand-rate pricing study for electricity that would add a third charge based on a customer’s peak monthly demand. Shane said the change would not affect most households but could apply to the largest ~50 electric users or to facilities with large transformers (for example, massive charging stations). The study is exploratory and aimed at recovering infrastructure costs associated with peak demand.

Next steps: PUC and staff to schedule the tank inspections, scope the sewer lining contract for the Fourth–Fifth Street block, and continue analysis of demand-rate impacts on large customers. No binding rate changes or contracts were approved during the meeting.