Lift station upgrade to cost between $960K-$1.3M

Hartley officials have a clearer picture about the scope and cost of a future infrastructure project on the city’s east side.

The council on Aug. 25 reviewed specs for lift station and force main improvements planned at the city’s facility located near North Eighth Avenue East and Second Street Northeast. The price tag for the upgrades is estimated to run between $960,000 and $1.3 million, which is significantly higher than a previous proposal from several years ago that pegged the cost at around $500,000.

Acccording to City Administrator Erica Haack, the lift station design was increased to meet capacity requirements for the maximum potential flows through the area serviced by the infrastructure.

“With increased sizes and different project specs, the cost went up,” she explained after the meeting.

The infrastructure in question is nearing the end of its useful life and is undersized. According to previous information from Public Works Director Jaron Benz, one of the first areas to experience sewer back up due to water infiltration during large rain events is the low area the lift station sewer shed is in. The backup comes partly from the lift station’s inability to pump water away fast enough, which will be improved by upsizing and installing new equipment.

Benz said the improvement project will hopefully alleviate the need to bypass the sewer at the lift station during large rain events. The existing lift station is located in an area that frequently floods during heavy rainfall, but since it’s situated high enough that it doesn’t get overwhelmed by water, the new one will remain relatively unchanged when it’s built.

The city could get some help with the bill. A recent survey revealed almost 61 percent of residents in the area impacted by the lift station project are considered to have low-to-moderate incomes, making the project eligible for $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding.

Haack explained that in order to be eligible to apply for the grant, at least 51 percent of residents served by the project must be low-to-moderate income, which is defined as persons with incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income as defined by HUD.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Haack said of the CDBG application.

The city council voted to send the facility specs and intended use plan to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for final approval. Work on the upgrades is hoped to begin next year.