Rich Civic Times
GARDEN CITY, Utah. October 12, 2017. Zan Murray, City Engineer, reported on the USDA Grant that has been submitted to the US Government. It is a water project grant that will solve the City’s water pressure problems, allow for good water flow, create more water storage by making Elk’s Ridge storage tank and the Shundahi tank part of the main water system. It will also help get culinary water under Third West and get good water pressure up to Cherimoya.
Two large reports have already been submitted to the USDA and have been approved and accepted. The entire project will cost approximately $4.2 million. This will include all of the costs such as the engineering, writing additional reports, and so forth. Murray indicated that he would revisit the costs before the final application is submitted to make sure that the needed amount will be sufficient. It’s not good to fall short in such a situation.
The upfront costs would be $800,000. Thus, the City must first put in 20% of the total project cost in order to get federal money and begin the project.
Several years ago, when the City was forced to build the water treatment plant, they were forced to borrow all of the money needed in order to fulfill the State’s mandate. The City did not have the money for such a project and had to borrow a long-term loan to build that facility. At that time, the City Council members decided that a water plan needed to be written and followed.
Currently, the City’s annual water budget is about $925,000. The water account has about two million dollars that is to be used for bonds, reserve accounts, and necessary depreciation expenses. Annual expenses are about $835,000.
There is enough cash in the Water fund to pay out the initial $800,000 and the monthly payments for the requested grant from USDA. The City needs to get this grant and complete the necessary items that were listed above. Then, the City needs to go to phase two and apply for another grant at that time.
The City also needs to purchase a computer monitoring system that has telecommunications and diagnostic capabilities. It needs to include being able to determine when water tanks are low and have the pumps automatically turn on. The system needs the maintain energy efficiency by taking advantage of the best times to pump water into the storage tanks, to kick on special pumps during emergencies, to maintain normal working of the entire system, and so forth.
The government funds should come in after January of this next year. Murray encouraged the City to get plans ready now before January so that there will be no waiting time or loss of funds.
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