The Balaton City Council is favoring a fiscally-conservative fix to the City’s lift station issue.
After hearing from Public Works Supt. Josh Torgeson at a special meeting Monday evening, the council came to a consensus to spend what would amount to less than half the price of a full overhaul of the collection system — roughly $230,000, plus a dialing alert system and a back-up generator.
Auxiliary lift station replacement was listed as ISG’s No. 1 priority on its Capital Improvement Plan, just recently adopted by the City. It was at the top of the list because pumps, controls and electrical are all original equipment that is more than 40 years old, and replacing parts for the original equipment has become nearly impossible.
The cost to replace everything, according to the CIP, would by north of $745,000.
“We’ve got two options,” Torgeson told the council. “One is the pump panels and valves for about $230,000. “I look at our needs and wants; I look at it like it’s mine. Debt is fine to have when we’re looking at infrastructure stuff. The whole project would be a great thing … but if we’re going to pay this out of pocket …” I’m fine with (replacing) pumps, panels and valves.”
A dialing system, Torgeson said, would run about $6,000 for both lift stations. He said the wet well is in better shape than the dry well. However, this would not address the City’s Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) issue.
The auxiliary lift station is a local lift station, meaning it takes collected wastewater from a smaller area of the City and pumps it into another part of the collection system. It pumps directly into the main lift station through a dedicated forcemain. It also consists of two wells just like the main lift station.
According to ISH, the auxiliary station has a history of being unable to keep up with flow demand during high-volume rain events and times with the adjacent lake elevation is high.
The City would pay for the project out-of-pocket, as there is no grant monies available for it at this time. Even if that were an option at this point, Torgeson said the grant process would take about two years.
For its own reference, the council did request an estimate as to what it would cost for a completely new system, but it has already been made known that it would cost in the neighborhood of $745,680. ISG has reported that maintaining the auxiliary lift station is no longer cost effective.
“My personal thought is that if we get 20 years out of it, I’d go along with your recommendation,” Balaton Mayor Lonnie Lambertus told Torgeson.
