Houghton approves additional funding to relocate Well Pump No. 4

Houghton will spend more money than anticipated to relocate a water system pump. Last night, City Manager Eric Aware informed the council that a good relocation project approved in April would cost the city more money than expected. This is partly due to a back-up in the supply chain for a key component and required testing by the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy.

We were originally going to install a pipe, but now the weather, we can’t ask our people to install a new pipe. Historically, on a known well field, you could do an eight-hour pump test on a new well. But EGLE requires a 72-hour pump test for a new well in a known well field. I won’t get into the rationale why. But I have my opinions on that. – Eric Waara, City Manager, City of Houghton

Waara says the state’s idea behind a 72-hour well pump test stems from issues in other communities with water systems.

However given some of the issues with water systems in the state of Michigan, the state is being exceedingly cautious on how they deal with water systems. – Eric Waara, City Manager, City of Houghton

Additional project costs will bring the total up to 257,000 dollars. Approximately 114,000 dollars more than the city’s estimate in April. Waara says the pump test will likely cost around an additional 40,000 dollars.

The new project cost, call it with the additions and things that weren’t included, the original project, or the original proposal just to get well in the ground was $143,580. With the additions, the proposed project cost is estimated at $257,308.08 plus the cost of that 72-hour well test that we have to do, which is estimated to be under $40,000. I used $40,000 because it’s a nice round number. – Eric Waara, City Manager, City of Houghton

The Water and sewer fund will continue to cover the cost of the project. The city council approved an additional 155,000 dollars to relocate well pump No. Four on top of the projects 143,000 dollars the council approved earlier in the year.

Houghton’s city council has added a second public comment period to its agenda for the upcoming year. At the council’s organizational meeting, members discussed adding a second comment period in addition to other procedural changes. The community will have three opportunities to address Houghton: through petitions and communications before council meetings and in-person comment periods at the start and end of meetings. Other procedural changes will have the mayor open discussions before votes for action and adjournment.