Staff flags $3.5M shortfall on State Highway 66 force main, urges master‑plan update

City staff asked the council on April 6 to prioritize wastewater projects and approve initiation of a wastewater master‑plan update to address increasing flows and capacity concerns.

The State Highway 66 West force‑main project — described to council as a cured‑in‑place pipe (CIPP) design — was presented with an estimated construction cost just under $10 million and available funding of about $6.1 million, leaving a funding shortfall near $3.5 million. Staff emphasized that the chosen trenchless CIPP method was selected where feasible to reduce business access disruption and avoid open‑cut excavation in commercial corridors.

Staff also briefed council on two other wastewater items: the Toller Bay lift station replacement (estimated cost ~$960,000; ~$600,000 available) and the State Highway 66 East sanitary‑sewer rehabilitation (phase 2 estimated cost ~$4.7 million; available funding ~$602,000). To inform CIP sequencing and long‑term capacity planning, staff recommended initiating a wastewater master‑plan update and conditions assessment (the city’s prior comprehensive update was completed in 2016) and said recent Garland‑installed flow meters showed a roughly 55% increase in flows since 2022, creating urgency to understand conveyance and treatment needs.

Council and staff discussed capacity limits during relining (CIPP) and potential need to re‑route flows for construction. Staff said they will return with scope and budget for the master‑plan work and proposals for funding the force main and lift‑station projects.