Palmer approves water extension to new 48-lot subdivision on East Bogard Road

Palmer’s city council approved a new extension of city water service outside the city’s limits to a new 46-lot subdivision north of East Bogard Road. It is the second water extension to the same area.

As the community continues to grow around Palmer it is not unusual for subdivision developers to hook up to municipal water service and since the city builds the extension it ensures work is done properly and that it meets the municipal rules, Palmer’s public works manager, Jude Bilafer, told the council.

The project involves only water distribution and not sewage or wastewater disposal. That part of the city’s utilities do not extend to the Bogard Road area.

John Alcantra, a council member, asked if building out water distribution from the city’s core creates problems in maintaining water pressure. Bilafer said that hasn’t been a problem, and that it brings in new revenue to the city.

“This is clearly within our capability. There’s no problem,” he said.

The main water line to the area was built to supply the Colony schools, so there is capacity available. On the other hand, the city must maintain the system, but that allows the municipality to make sure the maintenance is done right, he said. In this case, the housing developer has been very cooperative not only in planning the proposed expansion but also on the first 48-parcel development nearby, Bilafer said.

On another utility matter the council also approved funds for an independent analysis of the performance of new systems at the city’s wastewater and sewage treatment system, which has been upgraded to meet federal requirements. HDL Engineering Consultants will do the review.

It is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after new treatment systems were installed under a federal justice department Consent Decree, or compliance agreement, after the city’s old sewage and water treatment plant fell out compliance with federal rules in 2015. The city had to upgrade its system or risk federal fines. The limits mainly deal with ammonia and suspended solids.

The new facilities at the plant have been challenging to operate to ensure pollution levels for discharges stay within the federal limits, Bilafer told the council. A frustration for the city’s operators has been that some of the instructions provided by the designers of the equipment proved faulty and not only caused the city to fall again out of compliance with rules but, in one instance, caused noxious odors to spread through nearby neighborhoods. That problem was solved but it took work by the operators.

Some good news is that the plant operators have now managed the system for seven months without falling out of compliance for the first time in nine years, Bilafer said. This is a real accomplishment. The previous no-violation span was five months with no violations of discharge limits.

In other actions, the council approved purchases of new firefighting safety equipment and authorized $75,032 for a contract for design and construction of emergency backup power generation for the city wastewater treatment plant.