The city council committee that oversees Trenton Municipal Utilities met Tuesday evening to hear departmental reports and review financial information. It was attended by committee members, department heads, the city clerk, utility director, the mayor, and the mayor-elect. Ron Urton said questions from Mayor-Elect Jackie Soptic were answered as she was present to learn about TMU projects and operations.
No action was taken at the committee meeting.
Urton reported work is progressing on generator repairs at the north substation. There’s been a water leak and worn rings. Quarterly testing on the other four engines will be completed this week. Altofer is working on control replacements at the south substation. A quarterly test there is next week. A charger and batteries for the north substation have been ordered. Urton reported TMU has received its 2022 order of power poles. Another load of poles has been ordered this year including a shipment that Urton said is on “back order.”
Regarding the water treatment plant, the reservoir pump station building has been completed. Two options are being evaluated for connection to the existing main. The contractor is ordering materials for the modifications at the water clarifier basins. An engineering firm is finalizing plans for improvements at the river pump station.
The water distribution crew continues to fill out lead service line (LSL) inventory data. Composite lids and new meters are being installed to get AMI (electronic) readings of all water meters. There’s a bid opening on Thursday, April 20 for the first phase of the 10th and Oklahoma water main replacement project.
Regarding the new TMU warehouse building, the floor slab has been poured. Lumber and trusses are at the 26th and Oklahoma Avenue sites.
For the sewer department, disinfection processes are underway. Waste sludge is being cleaned from the storage basins, and will be spread as long as crops have not been planted and the weather cooperates. Urton noted a company representative was at the sewer treatment plant to make corrections to the bar screen program. There’s also a logging problem at the base of the bar screen that’s to be addressed in another visit. The Irvinbuilt Company is preparing a cost estimate for check valve replacement work. Urton said the sewer collection crew is working to get another lining project started. Those areas of Trenton are yet to be selected. Another spot collapsed on the
Pauper Grade sewer line so the crew is making repairs.
Regarding staff, Trenton Municipal Utilities has two job openings for water and wastewater workers. Information and applications are available at the offices of TMU and city hall at 1100 Main Street.
