Water and Wastewater Update

April 23, 2009

The City has ordered new water meters for the Oregon schools and MDES has been able to negotiate special pricing saving about $3,000.  The meters will be installed when school is out for the summer and we will have accurate usage readings with radio read access.  Manual readings has always been difficult and time consuming and the new meters will also have download capabilities, giving the department a history of water usage.   There will be a $40,000 a year appropriation for meters in the department’s future budgets.

The water department will also appropriate funds to the budget for GSI mapping of the City system and funds for upgrading our well and reservoir monitoring equipment.  Our existing monitoring equipment is obsolete and impossible to repair.  It will take a year of operations to have a realistic budget for the City water and wastewater department.   The costs of operation are available to the City of Oregon for the first time and it is a product of the new MDES management.  Department needs are:  Water meters $200,000, GSI mapping $50,000, and monitoring equipment for $75,000. 

Public Property is sharing the expense with the City Street Department for the replacement of our skid-steer loader. 

There was a meeting Thursday March 12th at the SVNB for everyone along Rt2N who might be interested in connecting to the proposed sewer extension.  MDES presented the plan and then a discussion was held explaining necessary costs.  Marty Bush is going to install the additional infrastructure for the businesses and will deal directly those who wish to hook-up.  The IDOT project is now being delayed for bid until July 28th and construction in 2009 will be limited.   IDOT engineer Dawn Perkins said she will coordinate our project with the IDOT rebuild, and we will not be removing trees, saving another $20,000.

I have received plans for the E. D. Etnyre & Co. forced wastewater main, and the project should proceed this spring.  When connected at our gravity sewer line on McCanse Road, Etnyre & Co. will pay a monthly fee of $936.00.

MDES will be hiring one full time local person for training to be a water and wastewater plant operator and they will also be hiring a part time experience worker for the summer.  MDES intends to be doing considerable catching up with neglected maintenance of our system this summer.  Also, the meter reader who works Oregon on loan from Byron has permission to wear shorts in warm weather. 

3/26/09, there was a wastewater back up at 700 S. 6th St., and roots in sewer main were the cause.  There is a plan to cut roots from our mains this summer with new equipment and an additional employee.  The reason this project was neglected in the past is because it is hard monotonous work, and I have a commitment from our new management to address the maintenance problems that plague the City wastewater department. 

It has been called to my attention that Water and wastewater employees should have ID badges because most people in Oregon are not familiar with them and people are hesitant to allow them into their homes to attend to necessary business.  MDES has informed me that they will provide the necessary identification as soon as possible. 

Public Property has agreed to allow Ogle County to run Internet access across City Property on Liberty Hill. 

The City has received approval from the IEPA for the $500,000 STAG grant to be applied to the wastewater upgrade.  Now we wait for IEPA approval for the upgrade Facilities Plan and the revolving loan.   In discussion with Mike Burris of CMT it was explained that we are getting closer to the wastewater upgrade.  The City of Oregon is on the list for federal funds approved for allocation from the stimulus bill.  The target date is June 1st to advertise for bids for the project.