Council to consider consultant for expanding water service
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, July 22, 2006
City leaders will take the first step Monday to provide water to the city's proposed Southbridge industrial area in upcoming years.
The City Council will be asked to approve a contract for $91,607 with Olsson Associates to evaluate the improvements needed as part of the water Master Plan, City Manager Paul Eckert explained Friday.
"Olsson and Associates were retained by the city to formulate the Southbridge Study Area Plan based on their qualifications," Patty Heagel, community development director, said in a report to the council. "That study plan and the resulting interest by several companies to develop in this area have created potentially great demand for water in the area that the current system can deliver."
Rick Mach, water plant superintendent, said about 11 million gallons a day of water could be needed. That means the city has to increase its supply, as well as providing treatment to meet the needs of industries locating in that area south of the city.
"Currently a 16-inch line runs along Harbor Drive to Port Neal Road to serve Kind & Knox and Terra Industries," Mach said. "Terra and Kind & Knox don't use large volumes of water."
However, the proposed Chief Energy ethanol plant would. That plant would be the first industry in Southbridge, which could be part of a biotech campus envisioned to eventually include two other renewable fuels plants.
"Ethanol plants use lots of water," Mach stated. "What we have now wouldn't be large enough to meet the demand. ... We need to have a good footprint of what we need to do. We need to be pro-active to attract new industries rather than having a knee-jerk reaction."
Mach said the administration is recommending the council retain Olsson Associates because the firm was instrumental in formulating the original water Master Plan and the Southbridge Study Area Plan.
The consultant's fee would be paid from revenues out of the Donner Tax Increment Financing District.
The City Council will be asked to approve a contract for $91,607 with Olsson Associates to evaluate the improvements needed as part of the water Master Plan, City Manager Paul Eckert explained Friday.
"Olsson and Associates were retained by the city to formulate the Southbridge Study Area Plan based on their qualifications," Patty Heagel, community development director, said in a report to the council. "That study plan and the resulting interest by several companies to develop in this area have created potentially great demand for water in the area that the current system can deliver."
Rick Mach, water plant superintendent, said about 11 million gallons a day of water could be needed. That means the city has to increase its supply, as well as providing treatment to meet the needs of industries locating in that area south of the city.
"Currently a 16-inch line runs along Harbor Drive to Port Neal Road to serve Kind & Knox and Terra Industries," Mach said. "Terra and Kind & Knox don't use large volumes of water."
However, the proposed Chief Energy ethanol plant would. That plant would be the first industry in Southbridge, which could be part of a biotech campus envisioned to eventually include two other renewable fuels plants.
"Ethanol plants use lots of water," Mach stated. "What we have now wouldn't be large enough to meet the demand. ... We need to have a good footprint of what we need to do. We need to be pro-active to attract new industries rather than having a knee-jerk reaction."
Mach said the administration is recommending the council retain Olsson Associates because the firm was instrumental in formulating the original water Master Plan and the Southbridge Study Area Plan.
The consultant's fee would be paid from revenues out of the Donner Tax Increment Financing District.
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