The city water system has a list of improvements to make after a Department of Natural Resources’ inspection.
The inspection left city supervisor David Brodie with five deficiencies to fix. The two significant deficiencies noted were a lack of a daily log monitoring free chlorine as water enters the system and lack of a backup operator.
Brodie said the city has been monitoring chlorine added to the water system, but will do so more closely and he has begun maintaining the daily log DNR requested. He has asked Anderson’s chief operator Steve Harnell to be his standby operator and will detail a contingency plan, which essentially amounts to writing an instruction manual on how to run the city’s water system.
Three other lesser deficiencies noted included corroded chlorine cylinder scales in the backup well that the DNR would like to see replaced. The scales hold 150-pound chlorine tanks and move as chlorine is dispersed into the water system. The cylinders that need to be replaced are 20 years old and chlorine, Brodie said, is very corrosive.
DNR suggested security fencing around all water facilities, a feature increasingly important after 9-11. Part of the city’s system is fenced, but pump house No. 2 and the tower by city hall are not.
At pump house No. 1, the distance from the floor to seal is shorter than the DNR would like. DNR standards mandate the top of the casing is to be a foot off the well house floor in order to keep any floodwaters from seeping in. To fix it, Brodie said, they would need to turn off the well, pull the pump, fix the casing and replace the pump. He will research other methods that may not involve pulling the pump.
DNR asked about a backup generator plan which Brodie listed as Tiff City pump. The company, however, has contracts with other cities and Brodie asked the city about purchasing a generator. The board of aldermen authorized him to get a firm estimate on the costs so they can budget for the expense.
DNR also recommended the water system be able to bear the full cost associated with its operation and that the city add an annual cost-of-living increase to avoid hefty one-time rate increases.
Brodie also noted to the board that he will need to purchase a flow meter for the wastewater system. Currently, he is estimating the flow of water leaving the plant every day – a temporary fix seems to be working, but erratically. The flow meter is 20 years old.
The good news, he said, is that he located a 4,000 gallon a day water leak. He shut the plant down and used a borrowed leak detector to find it. Trying to spot it was impossible, gravel on top of the leak was dry.
“It was 4,000 gallons a day going straight down,” Brodie said.
