Mt. Pleasant seeks grants for water treatment improvements

Sep 08, 2023

Mt. Pleasant city commissioners are holding a public hearing later this month to get input on a plan to improve a host of issues at the water treatment plant that will cost roughly $38.4 million.

Commissioners approved a request for a hearing at the May 22 regular meeting, a requirement before the city can apply for low-interest loans from the state from a fund that was established to help public water systems with costs of replacement and repair of drinking water infrastructure.

Mt. Pleasant Department of Public Works Deputy Director Tim Middleton; and Brian Van Zee, senior water and wastewater engineer at engineering and architecture firm Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber of Coldwater, outlined for commissioners earlier this week the upgrades and repairs that are needed at the city's water treatment plant.

Van Zee and Middleton also said the city has until June 1 to submit to the state a project planning document to apply for low interest loans from the state's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Proposed projects include improvements in the Ranney well collector, electrical system upgrades, including a new generator and transformer; improvements to key treatment process components, lime sludge, roof, HVAC system, electrical system upgrades, process flow meters and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition; and a new raw water reservoir and low lift pump station.

A new dehumidifying system is also needed, Middleton said, because cool groundwater that's pumped into reservoirs in the treatment plant create condensation on the outside, causing water drips that fall like rain.

Finished water reservoirs and high service pump station are planned for the treatment plant, and removal of any remaining lead service lines will ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, according to Van Zee and Middleton.

Distribution system projects include water meter replacements, distribution valve replacements, emergency connection with Union Township and a portable generator for the Broomfield well field.

Costs of the improvements are estimated to total roughly $38.4 million, and the city qualifies as a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund "overburdened" community status, Van Zee told commissioners, which qualifies it for more grants and low-interest loans from the state based on average household incomes, taxable property values and debt ratio.

Middleton said the city qualifies for some loan forgiveness as well.

The new annual debt associated with the proposed projects for the 2024 fiscal year is $791,521 and $1.4 million for the 2025 fiscal year.

In discussing the best way to approach fixing the issues within the water system, city officials determined it was the best option.

A copy of the draft project planning document is available for public view at www.mt-pleasant.org/departments/division of public works/water.

Anyone interested in viewing a hard copy of the plan can contact Middleton at Mt. Pleasant City Hall.

Written comments about the proposed improvements can be submitted to the city, attention Tim Middleton, 320 W. Broadway St., or can be emailed at [email protected].

Written comments must be received by May 22 to be on the public record.

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