by James Coulter
The replacement of gate valves and chlorine storage tanks, along with emergency repairs to sewer lines, are some of the public works projects recently approved by the City of Lake Wales.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Jan. 21, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve its consent agenda, which included three items related to public works projects.
The first consent agenda item was for emergency repairs in the sewer shed for lift station service areas. The repairs will be performed by Innovative Pipeline Systems, through which the city will enter into an agreement.
As the agenda memo explains: “The wastewater facilities have been experiencing higher flows at the wastewater treatment plant and higher lift station run times…[and as such] the old clay gravity sewer mains and needs to be repaired immediately.”
Nearly $53,600 is expected to be expended on these repairs, with $300,000.00 having been budgeted in the Wastewater Division’s Capital budget for this fiscal year.
The second item will be for the replacement of a 12-foot check valve and gate valve at a high-service pump in the water treatment plant. These replacements will be made through Coastal Pump and Equipment.
As the agenda memo explains: “The valves allow the water plant to operate at its full capacity.”
Replacing both valves will cost approximately $32,480, of which $225,000 has been budgeted in the utilities operational budget for this fiscal year.
The third and final item will be the replacement of chlorination storage tanks at the water treatment plant. These replacements will be purchased from and installed by Odyssey Manufacturing.
The original tanks being replaced were installed in 2008. As the agenda memo states: “Due to the corrosive nature of various chemicals involved in the water treatment process, it becomes necessary for components associated with those chemicals to require periodic maintenance and replacement to ensure continued operation.”
Replacing these tanks will cost approximately $23,500, of which $225,000 has been budgeted in the Utilities Operating Budget for this fiscal year.
