Problems with water line connection at Pleasanton lake delay operation of temporary pump; outdoor water still prohibited

Richard Smith, standing, supervisor of a crew that is installing a temporary pump at Pleasanton's East Lake, speaks to audience members at a city council meeting on Monday. Seated to his left in a red shirt is Jason Hopkinson with BG Consultants, the city's engineering firm. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

By Roger Sims

linncountyjournal@icloud.com

PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton City Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting at the Pleasanton City Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6 p.m., to discuss developments in replacing the water pumps at Pleasanton East Lake.

Mayor Mathew Young called the meeting on Tuesday afternoon after it became apparent that crews working to install a temporary pump were unable to connect with the city’s water pipe because the pipe was too deteriorated. He said that at least part of a section buried in the lake would need to be dug up and replaced.

Despite the setback, Young said the pumps to be replaced were still keeping the water towers full. However, the ban on outdoor water uses, including lawn and garden watering, vehicle washing, and even operation of the city swimming pool, will remain in place until the temporary pump is installed and flow from the lake to the water plant is restored.

The council met at the Pleasanton Community Building on Monday night in a town hall-style meeting to discuss installing a temporary high-volume pump on a 3-mile water line from Pleasanton’s East Lake that feeds the city’s water plant on the west side of the city.

According to an official of a company hired to install a temporary pump and then permanent pumps suggested that a number of things could happen, the best of which would be a smooth flow of water. The other possibilities include the aging pipeline could rupture not once but multiple times as pressure is applied. Or a slug of built-up debris in the waters would make its way to the plant and be diverted before it reaches the filtration system. Or both of those scenarios.

Richard Smith, supervisor of from Kansas City, Kan.-base Letts Van Kirk and Associates, told the Pleasanton City Council on Monday evening, Aug. 17, he did not know what to expect when they began work to install the temporary pump earlier that day.

Initially his crew ran into rusted pipe and at least one damaged fitting that had to be rebuilt. By the time the council ended its nearly four-hour-long meeting, he came back in to tell them the pump was connected but that they would wait until Tuesday morning to begin charging the line in case there were problems.

The council in a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13, approved spending just over $8,100 to install the temporary pump. The rental on the pump is about $4,000 a month, and city officials are hoping that the three pumps that have fed the water plant can be replaced within that one-month period. The temporary pump runs on a diesel motor instead of electricity, and its tank will need to be filled every four or five days.

At Monday’s meeting, Smith’s estimate to replace the three pumps that have been serving the city is about $108,000. That would include installing two new 250 gallon-per-minute pumps as well as new controls.

Josh Ralle, the city’s water plant operator, said that one of the old pumps was inoperable, a second was only able to pump at half capacity because of leaks in the casing, a the third pump could only be run at night because it caused the control panel on the dam to overheat.

Initial work on the pumps was difficult because everything at the bottom of the 30-foot-deep, 4-foot-diameter access tube on the dam was covered in rust.

“We can’t see the pump,” Smith said. “Everything down there is rusted.” He added he could only run one pump at a time because there was only one variable frequency drive (VFD) to run all three pumps. Normal installation would be one VFD for each pump.

When questioned about the possible build-up of gunk in the waterlines, Smith said that there was no way to know exactly without either flushing the lines or using a camera. However, he said most cameras aren’t able to go through that length of pipe.

He said his crew planned to first bump up to the pressure to 110 pounds-per-square-inch from the existing 80 psi with old pumps. That could be increased to as much as 150 psi in an effort to clear the line.

Ralle said that even if a slug of deposit is dislodged, he would be able to divert it at the clarifier building before it reached the filters.

Following the discovery of the deteriorated pipe on Tuesday, Young said it was uncertain just how much pressure could be applied to the lines without causing large scale pipe failure.

Young said that since the problem with the lake pumps was discovered, offers of help have poured in from across the region, including the cities of La Cygne and Ottawa. He said he has been very grateful for the offers and support.