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City outlines multi-project water upgrades, warns residents rates may rise
Summary
City staff and consultants updated council on a package of water-system projects (two new/rehabbed tanks, booster-station upgrades, force-main relocation and a 5,000-foot main replacement in phase one), said much work is grant-funded but that full replacement could total roughly $20–25 million and warned rates will likely increase over time.
City staff and consultant Ben Anderson of JMT provided a multi-project update tied to the Port/Pool Creek area that included a completed water-main PRV and booster-station project, a 2,000,000-gallon tank operational since January, and imminent construction on Mount Vernon booster-station upgrades. Anderson said the Port Creek force-main relocation (about 14,000 linear feet) is under construction and that a first phase of water-main replacement will replace roughly 5,000 linear feet near the booster station.
When asked whether the system faces overload or drought risk, staff said the new storage and booster upgrades were designed to meet current and near-term development demands but that regional partnerships (including ARWA and Prince George County connections) will be part of long-term planning. Anderson estimated that replacing the remainder of the aging line could total in the range of $20 million to $25 million and cautioned that "over time" the city will be looking at rate adjustments to fund significant infrastructure work. Councilmember Jones pressed for reserve and emergency-supply options; staff noted ongoing grant-seeking and the potential to buy additional supply through regional partners.
