Waukesha City utility approves water-main extension for courthouse and SCADA PLC upgrades; staff flags punch-list delays on Great Lakes project

The Waukesha City Water Utility Commission on Aug. 15 approved a water-main extension to reroute the Waukesha County Courthouse lateral and move a hydrant, and separately approved programmable-logic-controller (PLC) replacements at Wells 3 and 8 totaling $56,600.

Kelly, the presenting staff member, said the courthouse renovation required rerouting the water lateral because the existing lateral came into a mechanical area and a hydrant location would have interfered with the entrance. The extension will be done under the utility's standard developer agreement but the usual financial guarantee is waived because the county is a public entity; staff noted a similar arrangement in 2019. The commission approved the developer agreement unanimously.

On SCADA maintenance, staff recommended purchasing PLC replacements from Energenics to address failing radios, improve reliability and tighten cybersecurity (including changing default passwords). "Because we're doing really well in our capital budget this year, we would like permission to replace the PLCs at Wells 3 and 8," Kelly said; the replacements include programming and installation, and the utility plans additional PLC and booster-pump upgrades in future budgets.

In a separate information-item discussion, staff reported that work on the Great Lakes project has been spotty: the contractor has visited the site infrequently and has submitted additional claims and change-order requests while litigation continues. Staff said the punch list includes mostly minor restoration items but several higher-criticality items (pipe-lateral repairs and pipe-locating issues) may require re-excavation or outside contractors. Staff said they are drafting a letter to the contractor asking whether outstanding items will be completed and that they may solicit other contractors if the contractor refuses to finish the work.