Posted: 8:00 a.m. Monday, June 9, 2014

City considers spending $4.3M on water plants

By  http://www.journal-news.com/staff/rick-mccrabb/" rel="nofollow - Staff Writer

    MIDDLETOWN — City officials are considering spending more than $4.3 million for capital repairs and upgrades at the water treatment plant and the waste water treatment plant.

    The city is expected to recoup more than the cost of those upgrades, officials said. The city hopes to save $5.6 million for the entire savings term, according to documents from the Perfection Group, the Cincinnati company hired for the project.

    The total operational maintenance and repair savings are expected to be $886,471 annually. The capital cost avoidance is $858,946 per year for a five-year period. An additional maintenance/repairs and utility savings are listed at $13,763 during the construction period and $27,525 per year for a 20-year period.

    Of the $4.3 million, $916,000 will come from the sewer capital reserve fund, and the remaining $3.4 million will come from the water capital reserve fund, according to Scott Tadych, public works and utilities director.

    City council will vote on the legislation at its next meeting on June 17. Work is scheduled to start in early August.

    Tadych told council in addition to needed upgrades of the power systems at both plants, other “critical equipment” has reached the end of its service lifespan and needs to be replaced. Projects at each plant include the following:

Water treatment

·                       Medium voltage switchgear replacement

·                       Replacement of two failed kathabar dehumidifications units

·                       Furnish and install new low level service pump

Waste water treatment

·                       Medium voltage switchgear replacement