The town of Brazeau Sanitary District No. 1 plans to prevent problems before they occur by replacing pumps at its six lift stations around White Potato Lake.
The $550,000 project is a once-a-generation event, said Tom Sadowske, the district’s secretary/treasurer.
“We hope to head this stuff off at the pass. This is all old equipment, and by doing them all now, it will save time and money,” he said.
The district operates the sanitary sewer for approximately 300 customers living along or near White Potato Lake. The lift stations have functioned well since their installation in 1977.
While there have been few customer complaints in recent years, repairs have become costly, and parts are nearly unavailable, Sadowske said. With the possibility of equipment breaking down, the district had to act, he said.
“The work has already begun,” he said.
Concrete was poured on Nov. 6 for control pedestals, which are being relocated above ground. Driveways to lift stations are being put in. The bulk of the work should be completed in December or January, according to Thad Majkowski, an engineer with Cedar Corp., the district’s consulting engineers.
“Some landscaping will need to be done this spring, which is typical for work done during winter months,” he said.
Service won’t be interrupted. A trailer-mounted pump will be used at each site when the new pumps and valves are being installed Septic trucks will be used to haul waste to the treatment plant.
The district may not need to increase sewer rates to fund the lift station project, Sadowske said. It will use a $250,000 loan approved Nov. 18 by the Wisconsin Board of Public Land Commissioners. The 10-year loan has a 3.25 percent interest rate.
The interest rate would be subsidized by a “quasi-grant” from the Department of Natural Resources that will result in a $12,000 savings to the district, Majkowski said.
The application was submitted last week to the DNR, he said.
Cash on hand and continuing future revenue will fund the balance of the project’s remaining cost, Majkowski said. The district is debt free. It is retiring the remainder of the loan used to finance a wastewater treatment plant project completed in 1995, Majkowski said.
The new pumps will operate on less electricity, which will save the district money, although the amount hasn’t been calculated yet, he said.
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