Atlanta council approves $9,014 repair to wastewater force main

The Atlanta Town Council approved a contractor quote to excavate and repair a crack in a wastewater force main near the town's lift station, with an estimated cost of about $9,014.

Schultz, who reported to the council on water and wastewater operations, said a contractor discovered a crack in the force main when the cover was opened during an inspection. Schultz told the council the repair requires confined-space entry and hydroexcavation equipment, and that using a contractor would likely save about $2,000 compared with other approaches.

"There's a crack in it," Schultz said, describing how water was visible when the pump was shut down and the force main was observed. He recommended a contractor handle the repair because of the confined-space conditions.

Committee member S2 moved to approve the quote with excavation and backfill; the motion carried on a voice vote. Council members discussed that the cost would be paid from water and sewer budgets and that staff would coordinate with contractors to arrange the work.

Schultz said the contractor anticipated scheduling the repair in roughly four to six weeks but noted it might occur sooner. Council approved moving forward so the work can be completed before colder weather increases operational risks.

The council directed staff to finalize contracting and to allocate the expense from appropriate water and sewer funds.