Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pella opts for looped airport water main and approves Jordan Well No. 3 study
Summary
Following engineering advice, Pella Council directed a shift from a dead-end airport water main to a looped 8-inch system and authorized Greenwood Consulting to study a potential Jordan Well No.3 with a not-to-exceed consulting fee of $35,000. The airport loop is estimated by staff at about $900,000 and formal bid and hearings are set for May.
Pella City Council on April 7 moved forward with two water-system items affecting the municipal airport and long-term supply planning.
During review of Policy & Planning committee materials and supporting staff reports, project engineer Brad Uitermarkt (Garden & Associates) explained why a looped 8-inch water main is preferable to a dead-end main at the Pella Municipal Airport: a dead-end main can allow water to sit for extended periods and require frequent flushing to maintain potability. Staff and the engineer described a looped alternative with an engineer’s opinion of probable construction costs in the ~$900,000 range and asked Council to authorize the project to proceed to bid and hearing.
Council later adopted Resolution No. 7047 to order construction of the Airport Water Main Expansion, authorize solicitation of bids, and set May 19, 2026 as the public hearing date. The project scope in staff materials included approximately 7,450 linear feet of 8-inch main, 315 feet of water services and associated site work; the engineer’s opinion of probable cost included a $943,350 estimate for construction.
Separately, Council approved Resolution No. 7044 to contract with Greenwood Consulting for a Jordan Well No.3 study. The consulting scope includes reviewing current water supply and future needs, site analysis for a deep well, alignment of raw-water transmission to the Water Treatment Plant, cost estimates, and an assessment of treatment-plant capacity. Fees are hourly with a not-to-exceed cap of $35,000 and the report is expected within six months.
What to expect next
Staff will advertise the airport water main project for bids (planned bid letting in early May) and present bid results and a public hearing on May 19, 2026. The Jordan Well No.3 study will proceed under Greenwood Consulting with a draft report and cost estimates returned to staff and Council for later decisions on drilling or design.
