09-23-1997 Council Minutes Navarre Water Plant Public Hearing

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• NAVARRE WATER PLANT PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 23,1997 9. Roushar also presented the following photos: Brine storage tank for the softening process. Well #1. Top side of filter system and aeration chamber. - Condition of filter along base noting high degree of rust. - Pump showing rusty pipes. - Softening unit. - Failing softener with hatch open (8' diameter, 10' high) - Renovated system which would be repainted with new controls. Moorse continued with an explanation of financing. Three sources are being considered. First, $200,000 is currently available in water fund reserves which have been built up through increases in water rates specifically for these types of projects. Secondly, $263,000 will be collected from assessments on properties in the Navarre water service area. This is broken down to $350 per property served by the water system or capable of using the system over a 5 year period with interest at 6.25 %. Thirdly, an internal loan for $277,000 will be paid off over a 10 year period from the operations of the water fund. He also showed a chart of how the payments and interest would be calculated over 5 years so that homeowners could visualize how their properties would be affected. • Karen Cuff, 3572 Livingston Avenue, stated she was aware that the system needs improvements. She has an in -home water softening system and has not noticed problems that neighbors may experience. She asked how long the softening system had been failing. Roushar responded that one of the softeners is out of service completely and the other two are probably not as efficient as they should be. She questioned if it was worth the additional money in the proposal to have the City soften its water when she already has her own system. Roushar explained that when the project is finished, the water would be softened to 80 mg /1 which is about the same as Minneapolis. In addition to rehabilitation of the softeners, the engineers are also recommending a change in the way they recharge. One softener would recharge each day producing more uniform water. Currently the water varies from very soft right after recharging to very hard before the next recharge. Jabbour asked if the new softeners would be monitored for hardness. Roushar responded there would be analytic testing at the startup to provide a baseline for operation. Cuff asked what level of softness the City system has been at over the last 10 years. Roushar responded that the water quality has been variable from 0 to 150 mg/l. A survey indicated about half the homes in the water system have in -home softeners. Jabbour added that a home softener would help to keep water at a more consistent level of softness. A new City system would also be more consistent. At that time, the individual homeowner may still wish to have softer water than is provided through the City system and could still choose to use a • home system. 3