Rub a dub dub, the Grand Marais water tower will soon be getting a good scrub.
Tom Nelson, water/wastewater superintendent for Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission (PUC) came before the PUC board on July 1, with two requests for water and sewer projects. Nelson asked the board to approve the low bid of $3,400 from Water Tower Clean and Coat, Inc. to clean the 200,000-gallon stand pipe.
Exterior cleaning of the 200,000-gallon water tank will include chlorinated power washing followed by a post rinse of a mildew inhibitor. “They will probably use a Genie lift to power wash the tank,” said Nelson.
Heavy rain in 2013 causes concern
Nelson also presented the board with an inspection report of the Grand Marais Waste Water Treatment Facility (GMWWTF) submitted by John Thomas of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
The report consisted of a visual inspection of the facility and a discussion with Nelson and wastewater operator Neil Hansen. After a review of the monthly discharge monitoring reports from May 2012 through April 2015, Thomas noted several violations of the terms and conditions set forth in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination State Disposal System permit, and asked for a corrective action response for one of the violations within a 30-day period.
“They don’t expect us to fix the problem in 30 days, just get back to them with a plan in that time to fix the problem,” Nelson told the board.
During the period of review one unauthorized discharge occurred on July 19, 2013 after 3.49 inches of rain fell in less than 10 hours. The volume of water caused a release at the wastewater plant. Samples were taken and submitted on a Release Sampling Report with the July 2013 SDMR.
The city hired a consultant (SEH) to evaluate the condition of the sanitary sewer collection system. An evaluation of flows on April 11, 2014, during a period of high inflow and infiltration (I & I) determined general conditions of I&I severity.
The campground area accounted for about 17 percent of the I & I.
“It appears the amount of sewer evaluated in poor condition within this sewershed is dispassionately small,” wrote Thomas. “Though calendar month average flows at the facility remain below facility design of average wet weather flows, it is important that I & I flow into the collection system be reduced as much as reasonable to eliminate potential overflow events caused by large rain/ rain and snowmelt events such as the June 19, 2013 event,” wrote Thomas.
Because the inflow and infiltration problems are largely centered in the Grand Marais Recreational Park, the PUC board asked Nelson to meet with City Administrator Mike Roth and Grand Marais Parks Manager Dave Tersteeg to discuss a plan to fix the problem.
New control panel for lift station
Nelson also asked the PUC board to accept the low bid of $23,470 from Quality Flow Systems, Inc. to purchase a replacement for the park lift station control panel.
“Quality Flow Systems installed the first lift station. I would imagine that they still have the blueprints and schematics for it,” Nelson said.
The lift station duplex control panel will come with a duplex pump control panel and the system will provide control for two horsepower submersible pumps.
The board approved both requests.
Going to the rodeo
Grand Marais Electrical Superintendent Mike Taylor asked the board to send a donation of $1,000 to help support the APPA Line workers Rodeo that will be coming to Shakopee in the fall in 2016. Taylor is on the APPA line workers Rodeo Planning Committee and he said that Grand Marais lineman Jeff Eliasen will be attending to help set poles for the pole setting competition.
“This will be the first time I will be able to go,” said Taylor, noting that usually these meetings are held in California or in Florida.
After some discussion the board approved sending the donation to help pay for the event. Taylor said that beyond the friendly competition, it was his impression that a lot could be learned at this event.
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