Dixon council approves $166,944 change order to finish Valley Glen Well repairs

Dixon City Council on Dec. 17 approved a change order and budget adjustment to complete emergency repairs at the Valley Glen Well after staff said the site required additional replacement parts not anticipated in the original rehabilitation.

Josh Hudson, presenting for the city water system, told the council that after installing a 14‑inch liner and conducting test pumping, project engineers discovered the on-site pump, column and 20‑year‑old submersible cable would not fit or would be unsafe to reuse. "So in the only path moving forward, we have to replace the column, the pump, and the submersible cable," Hudson said, asking the council to authorize $166,944 from reserves to buy the needed components and a refabricated discharge head.

Hudson reviewed the history: the large‑scale rehabilitation began in February 2023, a motor replacement and other work were done last year, and a 14‑inch liner was installed this year to rebuild a new well inside the old casing. He said the project’s contingency fund had about $55,800 remaining after percussion blasting and additional surveys and that the requested change would likely add roughly $100,000 to the total project cost compared with earlier estimates.

Council members asked about reuse of equipment, the expected useful life of the new liner and pumps, and whether other wells could face similar problems. Hudson said the new liner should provide "50 to 60 years of life" with proper maintenance and that Valley Glen is unique in the system; the city’s other deep wells have different equipment and construction. The council approved the resolution and corresponding budget adjustment by roll‑call vote.

Next steps: staff will order the new pump, column and cable and schedule installation to return the well to service.