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Wood Village moves to repurpose $210,000 budget for Well 3 electrical and VFD work; portable-generator rental proposed
Summary
Public works recommended reworking Well 3 electrical, installing a transfer switch and a VFD, and using rented trailer-mounted generators as needed; staff said the FY budget included $210,000 for generator replacement while a portable generator large enough to power the site would cost about $400,000 to purchase.
Public works staff presented a recommended alternative to buying a permanent on-site generator for Well 3 on Jan. 28, telling council that site constraints prevent installing the large generator required to run all systems.
Staff said the item originally budgeted as a generator replacement has revealed a more cost-effective route: rework the electrical connection, install a transfer switch and exterior plug to accept a large portable generator, and add a variable frequency drive (VFD) to electronically control the pump and optimize system operation. "We had 210,000 for generator replacement," staff said; the price quote for the electrical and VFD work was reported as just over $200,000. Staff added that a trailer-mounted or rented generator could be used for prolonged outages, while purchase of a generator of the needed size would run about $400,000 plus substantial maintenance.
Council discussed generator testing, maintenance costs and VFD noise. Staff said rental costs for a unit of the size they need were roughly $2,600 per week and estimated annual maintenance/testing for an owned generator could be $4,000–$20,000 depending on the scope of overhauls. Given site access and maintenance constraints, council signaled support to repurpose the budgeted amount for the electrical and VFD package and asked staff to return with a formal bid award at the next meeting.
