Replacement at same location recommended

 

After an evaluation of the overall water system, a consultant recommended the Albert Lea City Council replace the central water tower, but leave it right where it is: lakefront.

Engineering, planning and consulting firm Bolton & Menk’s Senior Principal Environmental Engineer Herman Dharmarajah said he looked at four locations for the potential tower, which would replace the 80-year-old tank at the intersection of East Fountain Street and South Newton Avenue. Erecting a new tower close to the same location — a few hundred feet south in a shift that would put the tower toward the back of an existing parking lot abutting The Meraki Studios and move those spaces up to the current water tower site, closer to the lakefront — is the option he recommends, Dharmarajah said at the council’s study session Monday night.

Two locations on YH Hanson Avenue were ruled out because they are inside airport zoning restrictions. A site on County Road 45 north of an existing water tower is not expected to use water quickly enough for a satisfactory turnover rate, a problem the city is already having with its east water tower, said Director of Public Works Steve Jahnke.

Dharmarajah suggested the city demolish its existing tower and install a one million-gallon tank — the same size as the current water tower — but raise it by 45 feet to match the height of the city’s other water towers. Adding height increases the pressure that allows the tower to deliver water.

Because it is lower, Jahnke said the city uses a pump to recirculate water through it. It runs about 80,000 gallons through it a week and is more utilized in a high-demand situation.

The water system evaluation was also intended to address concerns at the east water tower. Dharmarajah said the tower had low water turnover, but also that the well water has high levels of ammonia that require biological nitrification, or converting ammonia into nitrate. He recommended a pilot study at two treatment facilities to see how the filtration systems should be modified for the proper biological conversions. The third facility is already able to do so.

The new tower, should the city install Dharmarajah’s recommended composite tower — a steel tank supported by concrete — would cost between $4.2 and $5.7 million, Dharmarajah estimated. Though it is comparable in cost to a spheroid tower — steel all the way up — the maintenance costs on a composite tower are lower, Dharmarajah said. The study would cost approximately $75,000. Funds would be sought through the state’s project priority list, Jahnke said, in the form of a low-interest loan. He said he anticipates the best bid time for the project to be November 2020.

Jahnke said the city will soon be asking the council for approval of the two recommendations.

In other action:

• Despite no votes from 3rd Ward Councilor Jason Howland and 6th Ward Councilor Al Brooks, the city reduced the price on tax-forfeited properties in Tiger Hills. After a $3,000 down payment, buyers will pay $16,000 over the next five years to purchase the properties. City Director of Finance Kristi Brutlag said they reduced the lot price in an effort to sell them, as traction has been low. Brooks said he voted against the measure because he would have liked to give them more time to sell at their value.

• The City Council discussed annexing four properties on 780th Avenue. Jahnke said he hopes to have a public hearing at the Sept. 9 council meeting.

• The City Council approved a resolution authorizing removal and repair of hazardous structures at 22276 770th Ave. The property will have a hazardous barn torn down and repairs on an addition to the house.

• Gail Levorson, joined by two other members of the Albert Lea Area Pickleball Club, asked the City Council to consider converting the tennis court at Frank Hall Park to more pickleball courts. The space could be converted into four pickleball courts, which Levorson said would be useful for the more than 90-person club as well as during their annual summer tournament, which will be this weekend with almost 120 participants.