City discusses waterline improvement contracts

News and Online Editor

Commissioner Danny Giefer, in red, looks over the damage inside the 12th Avenue water tower while Public Works director Dean Grant, left, explains the work that needs to be done. Also pictured is Commissioner Erren Harter.

A $700,000 design contract for a proposed 20-inch waterline was approved Wednesday. The contract tasks BG Consultants with designing a waterline that would serve as the “backbone” for the city’s water distribution system within 18 months.

Public Works director Dean Grant said the waterline project would start at the existing 20-inch waterline on 12th Avenue at Garfield Street, and terminate at the existing 16-inch waterline on South Avenue at Carter Street.

“This design will go roughly three or four miles,” he said.

The waterline would go from Garfield and 12th Avenue to Seventh Avenue. From there, it would head east to Neosho Street, where it would connect to every north and south waterline and move under the railroad tracks to Carter Street.

Grant said he expects the new waterline to help with the city’s watermain breaks, which have been keeping its crews busy since last weekend. While it won’t eliminate them entirely, Grant was confident the waterlines would make a considerable difference by reducing the workload on the existing system.

“We will see a huge, huge benefit with this line,” he said. “This line is actually going to be in conjuction with another line that will go to bed within a month or so.”

Grant said this will also reestablish lost connections at the crossings that were lost in the past due to leaks, and thereby strengthen the city’s water distribution system. This transmission main also will have a four-inch service main installed along the route, where needed to serve customers.

He expected construction work to get underway within two or three years, but he would know more once BG Consultants gets into the design aspect.

Grant also spoke to commissioners about renovations and rehabilitations for the 12th Avenue water tower’s elevated storage tank.

“This project is about fixing the inside of the tank, where our water touches,” he said.

The 12th Avenue Elevated Storage Tank cleaning, repairing, painting, and internal mixing system project will rehab the storage that was constructed in 1989. Grant said the tank needs some structural repairs and a new interior and exterior coating to protect the structure.

In addition, the tank will have a mixer installed to improve water quality, upgraded interior lighting, tank ventilation, and repair/upgrades to various safety features.

The $684,385 bid was award to J.R. Stelzer Co., based out of Nebraska.

The Public Works Department opened bids on July 25, 2023, for the Cleaning, Repairing, Painting, and Internal Mixing System of the 12th Avenue Elevated Storage Tank. Bids were submitted both by mail and email, and they were opened publicly at Public Works.

Commissioners also approved several ordiances and resolutions:

Ordinance 23-21 Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Citiie

Ordinance 22-23 Uniform Public Offense Code for Kansas Cities

Resolution No. 3701 for Sunset Lake storm improvemet

Ordinace No. 23-23 to create a Stormwater pond benefit district

The commission also awarded a $500,155.30 paving contract for the Mahtropolis Addition to Bruce Davis Construction LLC, and the purcase of turbidimeters from Hach Company for a total of $56,097 after a return is credited to the city’s account.

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