Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Sewer topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village wastewater operator urges bids for UV system as DNR phases out chlorine
Summary
Wastewater operator Larry Gates told the Village of Bloomington board the village earned straight A’s on its 2024 CMAR and CCR, described a temporary E. coli issue that cleared after chlorination, and urged the board to start bidding a UV disinfection system as DNR moves away from chlorine systems and costs rise.
Larry Gates, who prepared the village’s 2024 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report (CMAR) and the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), told the Village of Bloomington board on June 2 that both reports earned straight A’s and that the village’s water system is back to normal after a temporary contamination event.
Gates described the event in his own words: "The issue was e coli, not fecal, it was dirt." He said the village disinfected the system with chlorine for about one to one-and-a-half weeks and the water returned to acceptable standards with no violations found. Gates emphasized there were no long-term violations recorded in the reports.
Gates urged the board to begin soliciting bids for a UV disinfection system, saying the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will require chlorine systems to be phased out in the future and that a UV system would eliminate recurring costs associated with chlorinated systems such as frequent "wet tests." He noted a UV system he reviewed cost about $60,000 in 2023 but now is estimated at roughly $120,000, and said starting the bidding process now would demonstrate the village is actively working toward compliance.
The board was also informed that a recent water tower inspection required the submission of lead service line reports; those reports had been submitted late but are now complete, Gates said. The board reviewed the reports and Gates will file them for the village.
Why it matters: moving from chlorine to UV requires capital planning and likely a competitive procurement; Gates’ recommendation signals both an operational change and a notable potential budget impact for Bloomington’s water utility.
What happens next: Gates will file the annual reports for the village. The board did not adopt a final procurement plan at this meeting; it was asked to consider starting bids for a UV system going forward.
