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District reviews well failures, spare motor use and plans for additional generator
Summary
Staff reported a VFD/motor failure on Well 2, temporary restoration using a long‑stored spare motor, and a plan to budget for a generator for Well 2; three wells (1, 4 and 5) already have generators.
During the operations report the staff member told the board a variable frequency drive issue on Well 2 led to a motor problem but a spare pump motor from inventory restored service quickly, avoiding the multi‑week delays typical for new parts.
The staff member described the district’s current resiliency posture: generators are already in place on Wells 1, 4 and 5 (three total) and staff proposed including a generator for Well 2 in next year’s budget to reduce the risk of service interruption during hot, high‑demand periods. “We were able to keep running normally with 3 wells, which was encouraging,” the staff member said when reporting the event.
Board members and staff discussed VFD types in the distribution (US Drive and Mitsubishi), the district’s ability to bypass failed drives using soft starts on some wells, and the value of stocking key spares and capacitors. The board requested staff factor a Well‑2 generator into the next budget planning cycle and to continue evaluating spare parts strategies.
