July 14, 2021
Wastewater debate returns Council OKs contract for lift station design, tables update of utility plan BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Moments after approving a $37,000 work order to design a force main and lift station to take wastewater to the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District’s northern regional plant, Fort Lupton City Council tabled a $112,000 work order to update the city’s utility plan. The city has to spend $38 million to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. It hasn’t decided on a service provider, although City Councilors have favored Metro at times this
year. There’s been no funding decision, though the city was inclined to go into the bond market during discussions this spring. Councilwoman Shannon Rhoda had the same concern about the lift station as she did about the contract. “If we decide to go forward with this, then we are seriously planning to go with Metro if we are going to sock kind of money toward it,” she said during the debate about the lift station. “That is my understanding,” Mayor Zo Stieber said during that debate. “But until we have a price on the pipeline, we can’t make a decision. This will get us the price.” The vote for the lift station was unanimous. CH2M Hill has until June 16, 2022, to finish the designs. The utility plan upgrade would not take effect until the city decides
what outfit will help upgrade the wastewater plant. Rhoda felt updating the utility plan should wait. Vestal said the upgrades to the utility plan were important. “Once we decide, we’ll need to move fast,” Public Works Director Roy Vestal said. “This is approximately a six-month to a year-long process to do this report. It’s the first step we would need to be able to submit to that water authority for approval to change to a lift station.” “I get that,” Rhoda said. “If we vote on this, we are definitely saying we are going to do this (join Metro). Am I missing something here? If we’re going to get the RFQs (request for qualifications) and see how much it costs to go with Metro, until that is voted on, why are we voting on (the utility plan)?” “That is a valid question,” Stieber
Fort Lupton Press 3
said. “Council would have to vote to move forward at a meeting, and we could do this at that time.” “There are some elements you would want to update in your utility plan regardless,” said engineer Al Paquet with Jacobs Engineering. It runs the city’s water and wastewater plants. “Have there been changes to your growth area or collection system you want to incorporate?” he said. “The key decision is to upgrade your current treatment facility or to go to metro’s. That’s the big trigger for requiring the update.” There are some updates needed to other areas of the plan” which was last updated in 2014. Metro made a pitch to the council this spring. At the time, the cost was about $23 million, based on a $4,500-per-sewer connection fee.
Sieger Ha rtgers, 20
19
1 2 0 2
JULY 24 • 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. JULY 25 • 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.
FOOD COURT & BEER GARDEN | LIVE MUSIC ON 2 STAGES KIDS CREATION STATION | HANDMADE ARTS & CRAFTS BOOTHS
LINCOLN PARK • 802 10TH AVE • ARTSPICNIC.COM For the protection of our guests, vendors, entertainers, and staff, state-sanctioned and CDC guidelines will be followed. MAJOR SPONSORS:
