2026-09-10 - Water and Sewer Advisory Committee

00:19[snorts and clears throat]

00:22Good evening everyone. I'd like to call

00:24this September 10th, 2026 Water and

00:27Sewer Advisory Committee meeting to

00:29order.

00:31Mr. Vice, do we have a quum?

00:32>> We do.

00:33>> All right. Has everyone had a chance to

00:35review the agenda?

00:38>> Are there any questions?

00:42Hearing none, I accept the motion to

00:43accept the agenda.

00:45>> Okay. I'll make a motion that we accept

00:47the agenda.

00:47>> Thank you. Second.

00:48>> I'll second that.

00:50>> All in favor signify by saying I.

00:52>> I. Any opposed?

00:55Motion carries. Agenda adopted.

01:00Has everyone had a chance to review uh

01:02last month's minutes?

01:07Are there any needed corrections or

01:09emissions?

01:12Hearing none, I'll accept the motion to

01:14accept the minutes as written.

01:16>> So move.

01:17>> Second.

01:18>> Second.

01:18>> Thank you. All in favor signify by

01:20saying I.

01:21>> I. Any opposed?

01:24Motion carries. Minutes approved.

01:27Like to welcome everyone on this month's

01:29meeting and I'd like to thank everyone

01:31for putting us in this position. You're

01:33welcome. See if we take leave again.

01:35Right. [laughter]

01:37All right. At this time, I just hand it

01:38over Mr. Hansen over there.

01:41>> Mr. Chairman, Mr. advice. We we

01:44appreciate everybody coming out tonight

01:46and um

01:50discussing uh water and sewer issues. We

01:53were talking, you know, just before the

01:55meeting, this board takes two very big

01:58actions throughout the year. um

02:02primarily related to budget. We discuss

02:04the capital improvement plan at length

02:07and um then you make recommendations to

02:10city council and then we discuss the um

02:15rates as we talk about the rate model

02:18and those things um which you also make

02:20a recommendation to city council on and

02:23what we do throughout the year kind of

02:25leads to that. So, what we wanted to

02:27discuss tonight was give you an update

02:30on the Western Regional um sewer system.

02:34We haven't talked about this uh project

02:38in a while because it's been under

02:40construction. Uh so we thought it would

02:43be good um as we're getting closer to

02:46the end of this project to um kind of

02:50talk about where we are in the project,

02:52remind the board um what was involved in

02:54the project because this was a major

02:57component of um and is a major component

03:01of the CIP and many of the projects that

03:04you look at as we go into the next

03:07capital improvement plan will build off

03:10of this

03:13um infrastructure. So this is

03:16[clears throat] core

03:18backbone infrastructure for the

03:19wastewater system. So with that um we

03:24bid this project as three contracts. Um

03:28you know as Mr. Thomas would know we

03:31we've worked on this project since about

03:332008 I think. Um we did a you know we we

03:38started with planning we went through

03:40different iterations we moved to design

03:44then we acquired easements and then as

03:47development slowed we actually waited to

03:51build the project and and the idea is to

03:54build the project as development is

03:56coming online so we don't

04:00upfront fund [clears throat] a whole

04:01bunch of infrastructure and then wait to

04:04recover cost on that infrastructure.

04:06So with that um we we did break it down

04:09into three contracts that made it a

04:11little bit more manageable um and we

04:14could run all three contracts

04:17consecutively.

04:19So the the the three contracts were two

04:22force main contracts and then

04:24improvements at LTS that are necessary

04:28and then a new wastewater pump station.

04:30I'm going to talk about each of these

04:31contracts individually. The total cost

04:34of the project is somewhere around $60

04:36million. Construction, design,

04:39easements, all of that factors in. Um,

04:44[snorts] Senator Lazaro was able to

04:46bring us grants and we ended up with

04:48$23.2

04:50million, $2.25 million um to help

04:54support this project. Just a a little

04:56note there that those do have to be used

05:00by December of 2026, which is this year.

05:04Um, but great news is we have used we've

05:08actually spent more than that $23

05:10million on the project and we have

05:12reimbursement for $22.2 million of that.

05:16Um, so we do have final reimbursements

05:19that we have to submit um, in order to

05:22close out the grant portion of that

05:24project. And then we also used revenue

05:27bonds and fund balance to help fund this

05:29project also.

05:31So that

05:33>> so is the total cost already been paid?

05:36>> The total cost has already been budgeted

05:38and in a project and and more than the

05:42grant funding has been paid out. Uh, but

05:46we we have to meet certain you I mean I

05:48know you've dealt with grant funds.

05:50There's certain requirements that you

05:51have to go through to to get those funds

05:54back and we've got all all but a million

05:56dollars of that. Um, and I think we've

05:59submitted for most of the rest of it.

06:01It's just getting through the legal

06:03hoops to to get that money received. Um,

06:06but we have paid it out which is the

06:08requirement by December of 26. So that

06:11total cost of 60 million has is already

06:15I mean either in

06:17>> it's either been paid it's either been

06:20spent or sitting in the project to be

06:21spent encumbered. Okay.

06:23>> Yes sir.

06:25>> So the the first contract was um 36in

06:31force man. It was the the section from

06:34Pony Farm road out to LTS. Um, this was

06:39the most challenging segment of the

06:41project. Um, and I'll talk about that in

06:44a little bit. It included 20,000 ft of

06:4836 in

06:50um PVC that will be a force man and then

06:55um 20,000 linear feet of conduit 1 and

06:581/2 in conduit. And that conduit is

07:01there to pull fiber. Um it will connect

07:06um that it it is part of the entire

07:08project. So we will actually have

07:10conduit from the Williamsburg side of

07:14the New River under the New River all

07:17the way out to Land App which includes

07:20the Pony Farm 258 area. We'll have it

07:24through Burton Park. So if we want to

07:26partner with the county to help provide

07:29connectivity there, there's potential

07:32there. Um so it just opened up our

07:35opportunity. So um this was added into

07:39uh the water and sewer project.

07:41>> So for that fiber, if you guys paid

07:44upfront for that cost, if contractor

07:47comes in and installs the fiber, do they

07:51reimburse you anything for the

07:53infrastructure? We would we would

07:55probably use that fiber for governmental

07:57use.

07:58>> So it would either be us pulling fiber

08:00through it, which we do have a fiber

08:02division. Um or if we hired a contractor

08:05to pull it for us, which we do that also

08:08when there's a lot of fiber to be

08:10pulled, but it would be for our use like

08:13Brian Speed or somebody.

08:16>> Correct.

08:17Um and then we have um so to date we

08:22have installed [snorts]

08:2413,000 linear feet of force man. The the

08:297,000 roughly left to be installed is

08:32along Pony Farm Road which is where our

08:35challenges come in. Um we've really run

08:38into a lot of challenges along Pony Farm

08:41Road. will be on the um coming from 258

08:45on the left side of the road. There's a

08:48lot of houses um a church

08:51power poles um

08:54you mentioned Bright Speed and Metronet

08:58you know there's fiber there um and we

09:01had we have had to coordinate with all

09:03of those utilities to try to get those

09:06moved. Matter of fact, one one of the

09:08service providers took 3 months to get

09:11their equipment moved and we're still

09:14waiting on another and we're we we

09:16anticipate that's going to be another 6

09:18weeks or so. So, unfortunately, that's,

09:21you know, those are just things that

09:23we're working through. In addition to

09:25that, we also have to deal all of the

09:29homes along that area, the septic

09:31systems and repair areas are in the

09:33front yard. So, um, and they're fairly

09:37close to the to the right of way. So,

09:40um, and some are in our easement that we

09:42acquired. So, um, on top of having to

09:46work with, um, utility providers, we're

09:50also going to be out there working with

09:51homeowners and the county in um, working

09:56around those septic systems. And, you

09:58know, we talked about a 36-in force

10:00vein. That's a 3ft diameter pipe, but

10:03it's 5 ft minimum berry. So now you're

10:06at least 8 ft in the ground. So really,

10:09realistically, you're closer to 10 ft in

10:12the ground. And to be 10 ft in the

10:13ground, even working with trench boxes,

10:16we're 15 ft or 20 ft wide. So you're

10:19talking a 10ft deep hole, 20 ft wide

10:24down the side of Pony Farm Road. So

10:27that's the challenge we have right now.

10:29[laughter]

10:30>> So that part Brenda is gonna enjoy this

10:32part of the project.

10:35>> These service providers that went before

10:37they [laughter] lay their lines down, do

10:38they check with you folks first?

10:40>> So uh part of it is Pony Farm Road's a

10:43DOT rightway, so they have as much right

10:45to be there as we do. Um we actually

10:48purchased easement outside of the ride

10:51ofway and they're not in our easement.

10:53The problem is they're in the right of

10:55way close enough to our easement. They

10:57even with us digging, we affect their

10:59utilities. Um, and there's no way we

11:02could have installed this pipe with the

11:04power poles where they're located. They

11:05actually had to relocate the power poles

11:08to the other side of the road.

11:09>> Were you able to get easements all the

11:10way down?

11:11>> We were we got we we did get easements

11:14all the way down Pony Farm Road. Those

11:15have been in place.

11:18>> And that

11:20uh we work with each individual

11:22homeowner. We try to make it we we say

11:24that we we we leave it as good or better

11:27than how we found it. And that is that

11:30is our practice. I won't promise that we

11:31saw it every yard. Um and not every

11:34homeowner cares. Um so we we try to work

11:37with the individual homeowners. We have

11:39we have some individual structures out

11:42there that are really valuable to those

11:44homeowners that are right up against our

11:46easement that we're going to have to

11:48work around. you know, we've we've

11:50designed sheet piling and other things

11:53to go in those areas to to try to work

11:56with that those homeowners. And again,

11:59we we do want to be good neighbors.

12:02>> There's been a lot of discussion about

12:03widen Pony Farm Road.

12:05>> There has.

12:06>> If that happens, uh what's that going to

12:08do to your easement? So, the um they did

12:12widen at uh 258 in Pony Farm a couple

12:16years ago and that did affect our

12:19easement and we preemptively went in got

12:24additional easement and um we did get

12:27our jacket bore in in time so that we

12:30didn't have a conflict there. The good

12:32thing is our pipe is located outside of

12:34the rideway in an easement that we own.

12:38So if for some reason DOT affected us,

12:41they would have to pick up the cost.

12:43>> They're picking up the cost now of these

12:46people having to move their lines and

12:48all. Is that us?

12:49>> We Yes, we had to bear the cost of those

12:52utilities moving their lines. And again,

12:55Jones Enzo was our biggest partner out

12:57there and they are a good partner of

12:58ours

12:59>> and that's paired into the 60 million

13:01and all that. Okay.

13:02>> Yes, sir.

13:03>> Systems, everything, environmental

13:04level.

13:05>> Yes.

13:07So, anybody who's worked around six

13:10systems knows that's, you know, that's a

13:12difficult difficult one. So,

13:15>> yeah,

13:15>> you mentioned it's PVC. What is the

13:18original

13:20>> trunk out there? Is it?

13:21>> So, the the original is ductal iron.

13:24That's what I thought.

13:25>> So, this is I mean it's this is a high

13:27pressure pipe. um ductal iron's probably

13:32better for

13:34um protection like being hit and those

13:36kind of things. Longevity wise, PVC is

13:39probably just as good. Um but

13:42unfortunately, this is one of those

13:43value engineering things. Several years

13:46ago, we had to go through to get the

13:48cost of the project down. And this is

13:52unfortunately one of those value

13:55engineering things that we had to

13:58select. Now, the there's [clears throat]

14:01bell restraints and um all of the joints

14:04are restrained and th those are ductal

14:07iron. So, I mean

14:10that it's still I mean it's high

14:12pressure, it's good pipe, you can bury

14:14it deep. It's but it's not ductal iron.

14:17So it's more you know the

14:20[clears throat] big thing would be a

14:21strike.

14:22>> You know ductal iron they can still bore

14:25through ductal iron but they at least

14:26know they hit it.

14:28So that that's probably the the biggest

14:33um but PVC really good material. And

14:37then under the river, it's actually

14:38HDPE.

14:45>> So, here's some pictures just showing

14:47you work that we've done. Um,

14:49>> is that Pony Farm?

14:51>> That is actually Herold's Loop, I think.

14:54>> No, that that's Pony Farm. And that's

14:56that actually Yep. Right there.

14:57>> So, the the one on the right side of the

15:00screen is Pony Farm.

15:02>> They're both Pony Farm. right on the the

15:05picture on the right is right where

15:07they're they've stopped right there

15:10>> waiting for the

15:11>> because that pole they've got a bolt to

15:13install and the line the pole needs to

15:16be moved but they have a bolt to install

15:18right there where that power pole is. So

15:21>> So are you talking about this power

15:22pole?

15:23>> Yes.

15:23>> Look at that.

15:26>> But you can see where the power poles

15:29are new.

15:30>> Yes. But I mean this shows you and I do

15:34have um this shows you I mean just the

15:38size of the area they need to work to

15:40lay pipe.

15:42Contract 2 is also part of the force

15:45man. It's um

15:50essentially

15:51um two sections of force man. It's the

15:55section on either side of the river and

15:57then what goes underneath the river. So,

16:00we're laying 12,000 linear feet of the

16:0436 inch PVC for force mane and then the

16:08portion under the river is actually 42

16:11in. And the reason it's larger is the

16:14pipe is thicker. So to get that internal

16:18diameter the same as PVC, you have to

16:21have a larger pipe.

16:23>> Is that to also to protect the

16:25environment?

16:26>> So, I'll get to that in just a second.

16:29Uh and then we're also doing the 1 and a

16:31half inch conduit for fiber. Um this

16:35project is actually um met substantial

16:39completion. It's completely installed.

16:42They're actually um cleaning it and

16:45pigging it. And if you're wondering what

16:47pig is, um imagine a foam plug. I used

16:53bullet earlier and Derek didn't like

16:54that example, so I'm going with plug.

16:58It's a foam plug that they they insert

17:01into the pipe and then push it through

17:03with pressure and it pushes out

17:06everything in front of it. Um, and it's

17:09it's one of the best methods for

17:11cleaning pipe. The other is basically

17:13you run a lot of water through it and

17:15try to scour the the debris out of it.

17:19Um, so that's what they're working on.

17:21And then the part that's under the river

17:23they have to CCTV.

17:25So, um, they're working on that piece,

17:28too. Here's what that operation looked

17:30like. Um, the picture on the left is the

17:33drill head for the directional drill.

17:35The the picture on the right is the HTPE

17:39that's fused together. So, there are no

17:41joints. Um, and it's pulled through. And

17:45that that

17:47drill

17:49was approximately 50 ft deep and 2,000

17:53ft long. So they went under the wetlands

17:56and everything um all under the like all

17:59the way under the river. So as you can

18:02imagine that's a large operation that

18:05they had set up on both sides of the

18:07river. Um we did impact uh the bike park

18:11at Burton Park. They were um very good

18:14to work with. So we appreciate the the

18:16county's partnership on that. Um so they

18:20recognize the importance of the project.

18:23Um, and then this just shows you some of

18:26the work. You can see, you know, as we

18:28mentioned, it's deep. You know, you got

18:32a 36 in pipe, 5 foot deep at minimum.

18:36And, you know, it's it's a deep wide um

18:41dig. On the left side, you can see where

18:43the PVC is actually going up and mating

18:47to the the larger 42 in. And again, the

18:51the inside diameter is the important

18:53piece there. That's what they're

18:54matching up. Um, but you can see

18:57everything's mega lug together, so it's

18:59all bolted together um and restrained.

19:05And then just a couple of other

19:07pictures. Um, you can kind of see the

19:11the blue piece kind of at the end right

19:14in here is a valve that they're

19:17installing so that if there's an issue,

19:20we can shut the pipe down and isolate

19:22that section um as it goes under the

19:25river. And then that's a vault that you

19:28see um an access vault that you see kind

19:32of in the concrete area.

19:35And then just a great picture of the

19:38pipe fused together. And you see how how

19:41[clears throat] the layback distance,

19:43you know, was it is great that we were

19:45able to work on vacant land that that

19:47was laid back on the Williamsburg

19:49Parkway side. Um so back right right

19:52near the river. So we had a lot of

19:54distance to lay out the

19:56>> city property though.

19:57>> No, that was on private property. We had

19:59easements there. Um it was easements

20:01that we were we acquired from Mr.

20:03Schaefer. Is that is that where they're

20:05going to do some of those new

20:08subdivisions?

20:09>> It is. Um right now I think um Dr.

20:12Horton's looking at that section for and

20:15it's called Thornwood and I think the

20:17total number is 800 homes at some point.

20:21>> So this this line will go under those

20:23some of those homes. No, the the the

20:25line would be that line's under the

20:27river and then the force man is laid out

20:30in um an easement and they'll coordinate

20:34that um into their development. So,

20:37it'll be either under a road or in

20:41easements behind houses

20:45and they have that. The good thing about

20:47that project is for us it was designed

20:51um by Kimley Horn and ironically the um

20:56developer has Kimley Horn doing their

20:58design. So although they're different

21:01sections of Kimley Horn and Kimley

21:02Horn's a large company they they

21:05actually had everything internal. So

21:06they were able to work together very

21:08closely.

21:09>> So maybe you could educate me just a

21:10minute a little bit. So like a

21:13[clears throat] force man do they take

21:15uh do they take um you know those homes

21:20that will be built there will they go

21:22directly into the force man?

21:23>> No sir we on on force mains like this we

21:26don't allow taps into our force man. The

21:29only thing that we would allow into it

21:31is another regional station. So our our

21:34existing force main has several stations

21:38that tie directly into it, but we don't

21:41allow any private entity to tie into our

21:45force vein. So it would have to be

21:47>> a station.

21:49>> Yes, sir. So um anywhere. So a great

21:52example is um Southwest has the

21:56Southwest regional lift station. Our

21:58existing 36 in runs right by it. So we

22:02built that station

22:04um with a partnership with in

22:06partnership with Wasa that for that

22:09station has a force man that ties

22:11directly into our force main but we own

22:16and manage that station. So we don't

22:18allow any direct taps into that force

22:21man. So when Thornwood develops, they'll

22:24have their entire own infrastructure

22:26plan, although they are tying directly

22:29into the manhole upstream of the station

22:32or two manholes upstream of the station.

22:35>> But there's two subdivisions that are

22:36plotted there, right?

22:38>> That's correct. Side by side

22:40>> and they're both Horton.

22:42>> I don't know the second one.

22:44>> I I think the Horton one is the second

22:46one.

22:47>> I I don't know who the second one is. I

22:49don't I don't know who's behind that

22:51subdivision. Haven't been in involved in

22:53that one. And I've primarily been

22:55involved in this one because in the

22:58Thornwood because not only do we have

23:01the force man, the next the future

23:05expansion of this sewer system is a

23:08gravity sewer all the way to Western

23:11Boulevard down Williamsburg Parkway, but

23:14it'll come through that Thornwood

23:16development. So we're working very

23:18closely with them for that section

23:22through their development which is why

23:24we've been we have easements all through

23:26that development which is why we've been

23:28more involved there.

23:29>> Now the Uptown Jacksonville project is

23:32going to connect to this.

23:33>> So the Uptown Jacksonville project will

23:36connect to Kensington pump station which

23:38already exists. Um, so and that station

23:43pumps to gravity sewer that then comes

23:46to this station or will in the future.

23:49So we're we're actually this station

23:51when it goes online will intercept flow.

23:54The flow that it will intercept is um

23:58Williamsburg [clears throat] Plantation

24:00as it exists now and then the

24:04Williamsburg Shopping Center and kind of

24:07that general area all the way over to

24:09Williamsburg I mean sorry Western

24:12Boulevard um at that intersection with

24:15Williamsburg Parkway and then it also

24:17collects the vineyards

24:20um that's currently under construction

24:22and then of course all of the

24:24intersection at Gum Branch uh Gum Branch

24:28and Western Boulevard. So that's that

24:33and when it this station goes online

24:35that all of that flow will be diverted

24:37to this station. So, and it will take

24:40flow off of our Brook View station.

24:43And then future plans have gravity sewer

24:46coming all the way out to

24:49um from the new station all the way out

24:53to Western Boulevard and it will

24:56continue to collect what it's collecting

24:58now. And then it's designed to be able

25:02to take everything north of Western

25:04Boulevard in the future. No, kind of

25:06north of Western Boulevard, north of 17.

25:09So, all of that undeveloped acorage, um

25:13the VA hospital, all of Carolina Forest,

25:17um there's undeveloped land on Ramsey

25:19Road that's in city limits. All of that

25:22is planned to go to this system through

25:24that future connection,

25:28>> but not Carolina Forest.

25:29>> Carolina Forest will also

25:31>> it'll be redirected.

25:32>> The VA center will [clears throat]

25:34>> It will too. Yes sir. It may not

25:37immediately upon opening but it will be

25:39redirected.

25:42The the plan behind this system was to

25:47collect everything again in that

25:50quadrant of the city which includes

25:53future growth kind of around the commons

25:56area. Um it'll include Muskadine which

26:00is already which is in under

26:02construction

26:03and um is it Meadow View that's out

26:06there? I know there's a small it's um

26:11I think it's Meet View that's out there

26:13[clears throat]

26:14um off of Drummer Kellum Road. It'll

26:17collect all of that. All of that in the

26:19future will come through this station.

26:21>> Yeah, it's me. So, and then will um any

26:25future [clears throat] development along

26:27Durke Kellum that comes into the city or

26:31along Ramsey Road that comes into the

26:33city would also go through the system.

26:36So, that's why the system's so critical.

26:42And then there's just a another view of

26:45them installing pipe and um showing how

26:49the pipe goes together and what the you

26:52know you kind of see some of the

26:53fittings. You can see that valve being

26:55installed. So you can see how the

26:57workers are putting things together and

27:00you know kind of why it takes so long

27:02and so much room to work. Um, as they

27:05set these things, they're setting them

27:06with cranes

27:09um or large excavators to get them in

27:12the hole.

27:15So, the third part of this contract is

27:19um the

27:21pump station and the upgrades at LTS.

27:26So, the there's really two portions to

27:29this contract. Um the pump station is

27:32roughly a 4 million gallon a day pump

27:35station. Um with it includes everything

27:40that you would need in a pump station.

27:42Pumps, VFDs, controls, generator. Um you

27:47know, it's a turnkey station. Um and

27:51this contractor is installing all of it.

27:54And then um they're also doing the

27:57upgrades. same contractor because it's

28:00similar type work. It's more um it's

28:03less pipe work and more um fabrication

28:08and and specialty work like pumps and

28:11motors and those kind of things. Um, so

28:14they're doing the hydrogen peroxide feed

28:17adjustments at LTS and they're doing all

28:22of the improvements at Headworks because

28:26we now have another 36 in diameter pipe

28:29coming in at Headworks and it was not

28:32originally designed to handle two pipes

28:34coming in. So all of those changes are

28:36being done as part of this project. And

28:39this is I think I've shown you um

28:42similar picture previously. This is when

28:45they were starting to construct the the

28:47circular diameter that you see um is

28:52just to dry out the area that you so

28:54that they could work. Um the floor of

28:57that um I don't know what you want to

28:59call it. Crater

29:01>> copper dam. The copper dam.

29:03>> Yeah. The floor of the coffer dam is 60

29:06ft below grade. So it gives you an idea

29:10and in a minute you'll see an excavator

29:12sitting in the bottom. So um the the

29:16steel structure that you see coming out

29:18is the reinforcement for the actual pump

29:21station and wet well. And you can

29:23actually see the pipe at the bottom. So

29:26um just some progression. Uh you can see

29:29that they started coming up. They got

29:31pipes inlet and outlet going um both

29:35directions. Uh the manhole that you see

29:38on the right side of the screen is where

29:41the grinder will sit. We'll have a

29:43grinder pump or sorry a grinder motor in

29:47front of the station so that if we get

29:49solids or rags or things like that that

29:52would cause us problems in our pumps

29:54that they're ground up. Um we have one

29:57of those at main pump station too. Um,

29:59so that that it takes a lot of abuse, so

30:03we have to be able to easily access it,

30:05service it, and change it out. Um, but

30:08that it'll sit in that that manhole

30:10area. Um, and then that's the inlet for

30:14the wet well. [snorts]

30:16and then coming up. Um the picture on

30:20the left, you can just see [snorts]

30:22work as they're progressing and and

30:25bringing ground level up around the

30:27outside of the wet well. And then on the

30:29right hand side, you can actually see

30:31that we're only 3 to 5 ft below grade.

30:35So we're getting really close. A matter

30:38of fact, they'll the whole project

30:39should be finished in less than 12

30:42months. Um so that's kind of where we're

30:45at. Um, and you can see the the manhole

30:49on the right hand side has the final

30:51cover on. So that that will be final

30:53grade. Um, and that's where our that's

30:56where the grinder will actually sit. So

31:00um, and they'll have rails that go down

31:02and it slides down those rails and we

31:04set it with a crane. Um, and we can pull

31:06it with a crane. So

31:10um, any questions about the project?

31:13>> It's huge.

31:14>> It is. It's a massive um it's a massive

31:17project and it's a critical project for

31:20Jacksonville as we continue to grow.

31:24>> Um but it does take a lot of flow that

31:27we have now and taking off lines that

31:29are already being taxed. So

31:32>> are you partnering with Anasa with any

31:35of this?

31:36>> Not on this project. No, sir.

31:37>> So they're not going to have access to

31:39it. Uh the only access they'd have would

31:42be through some agreement, but they

31:44really don't have any sewer service that

31:46they provide in this area. Um the sewer

31:49service that they provide is in around

31:51the city of Jacksonville

31:54um are typically smaller stations or

31:57smaller treatment plants that they've

31:59taken over because of failure and the

32:02state has asked them to step in or they

32:05bought that system from a private

32:07entity. Um, so a couple they have

32:11several in the Piney Green area and then

32:14they have one in the southwest area. Um,

32:18and we have partnership with both with

32:20them in both of those areas. Um, the one

32:24in the Piney Green area, they take they

32:26go to the base and they have a pump

32:28station that sends waste water to the

32:30base and our partnership with them is to

32:33have flow down Piney Green Road to the

32:36base. So, our partnership with them is

32:38access to the base treatment. Um, and we

32:42have a million gallons with them. Um, on

32:45the other side of town, it's the

32:48Springdale acres and that that system

32:51was failing. It was built in the 80s, I

32:55think 70s or 80s. um and it hadn't been

32:58properly maintained and it it was

33:00failing and the state stepped in and um

33:04the city and partnered to to take that

33:08system offline. They set a little

33:10station and it comes directly to us.

33:12>> That million gallons that that flows to

33:15the base, you're not using any of that,

33:17are you?

33:17>> We're using very little. We use some um

33:20we have it's probably 20,000 gallons or

33:23so that we're sending um

33:26>> because it's

33:27>> it's the shopping center. It's the food

33:29line, Bojangles.

33:31Um there used to be a little um barber

33:35school type thing there. Um I don't know

33:37what what else is out there. I don't get

33:39out there.

33:41>> The property that the city annex behind

33:42right oak,

33:43>> that's what it's primarily for. Patriot

33:46Park. Are they are they moving?

33:49>> They have approved plans, but it's it's

33:52currently sitting. Matter of fact, we

33:54have an agreement um we have a an

33:58agreement that city council approved at

34:01the beginning of this year um for us to

34:04partner with

34:06the developer and onasa

34:10um to provide fora to provide initial

34:13water service because it was so

34:15expensive for them to build water um

34:18city water in that area and at this

34:21point I don't even think We we've

34:24approved it, but I don't think all

34:26entities have completely signed it. So,

34:30they're just, you know, I think part of

34:32it is [snorts]

34:34they just they don't have the capability

34:36to move forward right now. So, it'll I

34:41think they'll continue to renew the

34:42permits and and look for builders and

34:45buyers for that area, but right now it's

34:48not moving forward. But that's what that

34:50million gallons is for. Um and at one

34:53point Mr. Koig when he started that he

34:56actually had easements on all of the

34:58vacant land all the way [clears throat]

35:00um out Halltown and to Waters Road which

35:04was significantly are larger than just

35:06the initial Patriot Park. So I don't

35:08know if at some point in the future

35:10that's an opportunity to come to the

35:12city or not, but that's certainly an

35:15area that was identified early on as

35:18potential. Is is White Oak High School

35:21into that line?

35:23>> Uh, good question. I'm not sure if

35:26they're in that line or if they go over

35:28to

35:30um they may go over to

35:33um is that Aragona Village across the

35:35road? Is Aragona Village, right? Aragona

35:39Village

35:40>> is that wide open estate up the street.

35:42Yeah.

35:43>> Yeah.

35:43>> Um they have their own system and has

35:47that system. So, they have their own

35:49small little uh sewer system for that

35:52community.

35:58Yeah, I get confused because I think

35:59there's an Arizona village out there and

36:02then there's an Arizona boulevard or

36:03road in the Gum Branch area. So, I'm uh

36:08I think but I that that all goes to

36:11>> I'm pretty sure Green.

36:13>> Yeah, Aragona Village is out off Pine

36:16Green.

36:16>> It is.

36:17>> Okay. Just a little further down.

36:19>> Yeah. So they have their own system

36:21[snorts]

36:23>> now.

36:25Anticipated completion date and start up

36:28date with [snorts] this is when again

36:30>> within the next 12 months for what's

36:34>> the biggest piece is that last section

36:36of Piney Green I mean of uh Pony Farm

36:38Road. That is the challenge that I mean

36:41that's that's the that's the big

36:43challenge right now is getting through

36:46that section. We think um the contractor

36:49we think is ready to go and we'll go as

36:52soon as the um the utilities are out of

36:55his way. Um and hopefully it won't take

36:59that long to get that section installed.

37:01>> Now the annexation that we just recently

37:04did on Pony Farm

37:06is that

37:06>> that was Blue Creek Road. I mean Blue

37:08Creek Road. Yes.

37:10>> So that will go So that's one of those

37:13situations where we talked about we

37:15don't allow private entities entities to

37:18tie directly into our force main. What

37:21we'll do there is they'll construct a

37:23station that they turn over to us and it

37:26will be tied in and it will be our

37:28station. So it will go to our old force

37:31main

37:32>> but the cost is on them.

37:34>> But the cost is solely on them. Okay.

37:36>> Yes sir. but it will be ultimately a

37:39station that the city owns.

37:43And the idea behind it was to be

37:45slightly larger, but well, we typically

37:49when we're building a a a sewer system,

37:52we try to build it for an area or a

37:56basin, not just for one development. Um

37:59some developments are so large they have

38:00multiple stations because the basin that

38:04they serve but um you know the the idea

38:08behind that is it would have been a

38:11larger station to serve the whole basin

38:14>> but we can't provide them water can

38:16>> we are not providing water to that one a

38:19water would be provided by

38:23yeah we don't have

38:24>> and build through us

38:25>> and build through us yes sir um we We

38:28don't have water. The closest water we

38:30have is on 258.

38:33So it' be very costly to build a water

38:35man out to serve that number of homes

38:39because there would be no way to loop it

38:41back to us. So it' be a long thin end.

38:44>> Need a tank

38:45>> probably because we don't

38:47[clears throat] have that is pressure is

38:49a challenge in the 258 area. Matter of

38:52fact, we have a tank identified in the

38:55op road area somewhere in the latter

38:58part of the CIP.

39:00>> What year is that?

39:02>> I don't remember, but it's near the end

39:04of the 10 years.

39:05>> So, it's it's probably in year 9 or 10,

39:08maybe in 9, 10, and 11. I don't remember

39:11exactly. Okay.

39:12>> But I know it's right at the end of the

39:14the 10ear window.

39:16Um, and as we have development, again,

39:19that's that's why we bring the CIP to

39:21you and review it every year. [snorts]

39:23That's one of those projects that we'll

39:25review and say, "All right, does it make

39:27sense to be at the end of the 10-year

39:29window? Does it make sense to move into

39:31the window a little bit?" I mean,

39:32obviously, we don't need that next year,

39:36but we'll look at all of that. And we

39:39are trying to wrap up the water and

39:40sewer model. Um, you know, we have the

39:43water and sewer system model that we're

39:44currently working on. And when we have

39:46that wrapped up, we'll bring you a

39:48presentation on that model too because

39:50it will show improvements that are

39:52necessary in um the next and we have

39:55like a 10 I think it's 10 20 and

40:0130 year timelines.

40:04So we'll have projects identified out

40:07for the next 30 years or so.

40:12>> It's better get it now than before the

40:14price goes up.

40:17That's all I have on uh Western

40:19Regional.

40:21>> All right, that's pretty comprehensive.

40:24>> Thank you.

40:24>> Thank you.

40:26>> Well, that one's been a long time

40:27coming. It's an important project.

40:29>> Yeah. Well, the scope of it, I mean, all

40:31the construction guys doing that work,

40:33they have to know definitely what

40:34they're doing.

40:35>> We have we have two very good

40:37contractors.

40:38>> Well, for Mike's benefit, I want to

40:40remind everybody that the initial

40:42estimate was 20 million. Yeah, it was

40:45>> when it started. So,

40:47>> it was back in 2008 or so. It was it was

40:50around

40:50>> I remember

40:51>> I think it was like

40:52>> 23 or $25 million or something. It was

40:55[clears throat]

40:57>> cuz some of that COVID money went toward

40:59that, didn't it?

41:00>> It did.

41:02>> That the $3 million. Now, the the eight

41:04or nine did not, but the the three was

41:07part of that grant money that came out

41:09of it.

41:12>> All right. Another one. Moving on.

41:14Thanks for the brief. We'll move into

41:15the open discussion section.

41:17>> I do have a couple of things. Um, one of

41:20these came because Mr. Thomas asked some

41:23questions. Um, but it's very well timed

41:26because we've had some challenges in the

41:29last week or two. Um, and it wasn't one

41:33thing that caused those challenges.

41:35Unfortunately, it was a multitude of

41:36things that all happened at the same

41:39time. Uh, but I thought it would be good

41:41to just kind of talk about utility bills

41:44because everybody, all of you, because

41:46you're citizens

41:48um in the city and you you receive our

41:51utility services should have gotten an

41:53email that told you your account number

41:56changed and that you would need to

41:59get with me. I'll help you out. Um,

42:01[snorts]

42:01but the you should have gotten an email

42:04to the registered account saying your

42:06your uh account number changed. We're

42:09having to change account numbers because

42:10we're upgrading our billing software.

42:13Um, and it wasn't just our billing

42:15software. We upgraded. We did a um full

42:18enterprise software system. Matter of

42:20fact, council just got a brief on it um

42:23Tuesday. Um but the utility billing was

42:26a part of it. The system we were on,

42:28we've had since 1997. And as you can

42:30imagine, for a software system, that's

42:33ancient. Uh so um we're moving to more

42:37of a um you know a SASbased system, a um

42:43cloud-based system. So uh with that we

42:47had no choice but to change our our

42:50billing numbers. Um part of the other

42:54challenge that we had during that time

42:57is that um

43:00our internet service provider had

43:02problems and we lost all of our public

43:06facing internet and phone services. So,

43:10um, and and literally about every third

43:13call would get through and even I took

43:15calls and I would answer and

43:19I I couldn't hear anybody, but

43:22apparently they could hear me. [snorts]

43:24So, um, we just had a lot of challenges.

43:27Um, so we've been working through all of

43:30that. I think we're through most of that

43:32now. But, you know, when you lose your

43:34connectivity and your phone system isn't

43:37working, it it really causes a lot of

43:40problems, especially in the midst of

43:42changing software. Um, so just a couple

43:45of um frequently asked questions that

43:49we've come across. Um, we have a a sheet

43:54that finance provided us and this is

43:57kind of a summary of things that we'll

43:59discuss. This is going to be up on our

44:02website for our customers. You'll

44:04receive a copy. Derek normally sends you

44:06the slides um and the minutes and the

44:10agenda from the meeting on Friday. He's

44:12going to include this when he sends it,

44:14so you'll have a copy of this. Um but uh

44:19we have a new customer portal. I do have

44:21the link up there. Um it will be

44:23available. Um, if you're on automatic

44:26bill pay, make sure you update your bank

44:29information along with your account

44:31number. Um,

44:33>> what what do you mean update? Re-enter

44:36or

44:37>> Yeah. So, if you're So, some people do

44:39the automatic bill pay where they from

44:41their bank set up how much set up their

44:45payment and their bank sends it

44:47directly. It's not a draft.

44:49>> Oh, it's not a draft.

44:49>> It's actually they call it a bill pay.

44:51>> Oh, okay. Okay. So, if if you're using a

44:53bill pay, you probably have us set up as

44:58one of your approved

45:00um payes is what my bank calls it, a

45:04payee. Um so, if you have it set up, it

45:07automatic you can automatically key your

45:09bill number um and all of that

45:12information in and it's there. All you

45:15have to hit is, you know, if my water

45:18and utility bill was $109, then I put

45:22$109 in and it sends it automatically.

45:25>> So, a draft.

45:26>> So, if you're draft, I don't think you

45:28have to do much of any draft.

45:30>> I call it NAS. They were great. And the

45:32answer was you don't have to do

45:33anything.

45:34>> So, if you're on draft,

45:36>> it's on the city end.

45:37>> Yeah. So, if you're on draft, you're

45:39you're you should be good. Um, but if

45:42you're on bill pay or you pay with a

45:43check or you call in and we have a lot

45:46of people that like different services.

45:48If you call in all of those, make sure

45:51you get your your information updated.

45:55>> Um, we waved some of the late fees

45:57because of the

45:58>> we did confusing.

46:00>> That's correct. Um, and then uh if

46:03there's an account balance, those were

46:05rolled into the new software. Um, if

46:09somebody paid using an old account

46:12number, um, we worked with that person

46:16to get it applied to their correct

46:19account number and then tried to make

46:21sure we followed back up with them to

46:23make sure they knew their new account

46:24number. Um, all of the ways that you can

46:27pay are still available. We take by

46:30mail, online,

46:34bill pay, draft, um phone, in person.

46:39All of those are still eligible. Um and

46:43then, um if you do pay online,

46:48um make sure you use the link from the

46:51official city website. Don't don't click

46:54into an email and use a link that

46:57somebody emailed you or from a website

46:59that isn't the official city website.

47:02Um,

47:05with the use of AI,

47:07um, scammers have gotten very good. So,

47:11um, matter of fact, they'll even try to

47:13build fake websites that look like your

47:17your main website. So, just make sure

47:20you go directly if you're doing an

47:22online payment, make sure you go

47:23directly to our website.

47:24>> So, when will the new account number

47:27appear on the bill?

47:29>> I think it'll appear this month.

47:33>> Is that in my frequently asked

47:35questions? Derrick, will look real

47:36quick. Um, and then, um, we did we have

47:41had questions because it's a new

47:42software. Does that change my rates? The

47:45only one that can change rates is city

47:46council instead every year with the

47:48budget. Um so the rate is effective as

47:52of July 1. Um

47:55>> but if you switch from a credit card,

47:56you're going to get a convenience fee,

47:58right?

47:59>> That's correct. Yeah. So there are some

48:02convenience fees that change.

48:05So and if you have questions, I am not

48:08the expert. Um, apparently Google says

48:12that um, utility billing falls under me

48:15because I've been getting a lot of those

48:17emails. Um, so, but I

48:21>> I don't know the answer. I'll just get

48:22you to the right person and I'll make

48:24sure that they follow back up with you.

48:25Um, and that you you have the

48:28information that you need. Um, so, you

48:31know, if in doubt and you're not sure,

48:33you can call or email me, too, and I'll

48:36help you get to the right place. Um, so

48:39we do have, you know, the unfortunately

48:42we just had a lot of things happen all

48:45at once. And what really happened is we

48:48didn't realize we lost our phones on

48:50Friday and they came back up. But what

48:53we didn't realize is um they weren't

48:57getting through because of some things

49:00that had happened on the internet

49:01service provider side, not us. Um, and

49:06of course holiday weekend we weren't

49:08receiving calls anyway, so we found out

49:10on Tuesday morning.

49:12>> So, um, and I I walked down to try to

49:16get somebody helped that had reached out

49:17to me and I walked in. I think there

49:20were like five or six people

49:23>> out out the door. So, they've been

49:26trying to help everybody. They you know,

49:28it's it's a challenge. We recognize it.

49:30We're working through it. So, any

49:33questions on that?

49:36The other one I have is just something

49:38that we have ongoing. Um we had with one

49:42of the last big storms, we had a sewer

49:46main break under uh Mil Creek, we did

49:51not lose any sewer. That wasn't the

49:53problem. The problem is we started

49:54taking the creek. Um so we for over a

49:59week we've been taking in more than 9

50:01million gallons a day. Um, so which is

50:06really we're taking somewhere between an

50:08extra three or four million gallons a

50:10day of creek water into our system. Um,

50:14so as you can imagine that's a major

50:16problem. Um, and it it can have impacts

50:20of our permit at LTS because we have

50:22maximum permit um allowances. So and if

50:27you exceed for certain number of days

50:29that can be a notice of violation. So,

50:32we we think we're under that. We're

50:34working very closely um with the state

50:36to make sure that they're aware. Um but

50:39we are also in the process of trying to

50:42get it fixed. So, um for those of you

50:45wondering where Mil Creek is and where

50:46the breakaway is, um it's actually the

50:50little concrete alley across from Old

50:53Elizabeth Lake. Um there's there's a

50:56little concrete

50:58>> um it's literally called it's it's the

51:01concrete spillway when the lake was

51:03built back in the 50s. Um but we have

51:06all kinds of sewer that runs along that

51:09that was developed as part of the

51:12Elizabeth I think it was called

51:13Elizabeth Park um the Elizabeth Park

51:16area. Um, so it actually comes down

51:21concrete alley from Dwit Street, goes

51:24under the creek and Mil Creek trunk

51:27sewer is on the opposite side of the

51:28creek. So it's actually the segment that

51:31goes under the creek that is broke. Um,

51:35so what we've done is put a bypass

51:38pumping operation in place over a

51:40temporary bridge. If you'll remember, we

51:42[clears throat] just had issues along

51:44Mil Creek Trunk Sewer. Um, we've been

51:46having a lot of issues in this area and

51:49we've made repairs. So, um, we were at

51:53the point where we were getting ready to

51:55take up the temporary bridge before this

51:58happened.

51:59So, we're trying to finalize and get out

52:02of there. Um, because I know I know it's

52:05a an annoyance to the neighbors. We're

52:07we're trying the best we can to get

52:09everything fixed and get out of there.

52:12Um but we we just we have challenges

52:15that we've got to overcome. Um the I I

52:19went and found the plans for this. I

52:20mean they predate the 80s. Uh the plan I

52:23found was for upgrades that were done in

52:25' 86.

52:27Um so the sewer is extremely old. also a

52:34defect or deficiency or I mean wasn't it

52:37wasn't an event that caused a break,

52:39right?

52:40>> So well it was tied to that major rain

52:43that we had. Um that's that it all

52:46happened during that major rain event

52:48that we had not this weekend but I think

52:51it was the previous weekend.

52:52>> Oh yeah. Um we think what h if you look

52:56at the set of plans the the section that

52:58goes under the creek is 18 in but it's

53:02encased in 6 in of concrete

53:06for 50 ft um under the creek. We think

53:09probably what's happened is over the

53:13years with settlement and everything

53:15that concrete probably broke and broke

53:19off the top of the pipe or something is

53:21letting creek water in. Um it's gravity

53:24sewer. Again, it's it's more about stuff

53:27is coming in than stuff getting out

53:29because there's the creek has so much

53:31pressure pushing water in that stuff

53:34really can't get out. So, um, what we've

53:38what we've what the plan currently is to

53:43get the bypass pumping operation in

53:46place, plug where the creek is coming in

53:50um, so that we stop all that excessive

53:52water coming in. And then to get rid of

53:55the bypass pumping operation, we're

53:58going to lay a new line from the manhole

54:02in concrete alley under the creek and we

54:06actually have a new manhole on the other

54:08side that we can go into. Um so we'll

54:11bypass the old line all together and the

54:14old line actually goes under a concrete

54:17head wall um of the neighbor's property.

54:20So

54:22instead of trying to dig that up and

54:25replace it and repair it and damage

54:27their wall, what we want to do is lay

54:30the new line,

54:32come back and fill the old with concrete

54:36and abandon it in place so that there's

54:39no structural integrity problems or it

54:41doesn't damage the wall. So that is the

54:43plan. Um obviously that'll take time in

54:48order to do that work. On the right

54:49side, you see that temporary bridge. In

54:51order to do that work, we're going to

54:53have to um probably sheet pile Mil Creek

54:57and do a bypass pumping operation so

55:00that we can dig across the creek. Um and

55:03then we'll restore the creek and put

55:06everything back as it should be. We've

55:08done we've had to do this in a couple of

55:11other places. It's not the first time

55:12we've had to do it. It just is not an

55:15easy or a quick fix. I mean it Mil Creek

55:18is a blue line stream and we have to

55:20make sure that we do everything properly

55:23in bypassing

55:25um in the bypassing operation of that

55:27creek. In addition, we have to be real

55:30careful. We want to time that as much as

55:32we can with dry weather um because as

55:37you know it's

55:39if we're driving sheep piles the dam up

55:41the creek and we get heavy rainfall, we

55:44could precipitate flooding real quick.

55:47So that so there's a fine balance here.

55:50Um and then again, you know, it's in a

55:53residential area. We we want to try to

55:57minimize as much as possible

56:00[snorts] the the impact to the neighbor.

56:02It's a major operation, but we we're

56:04we're doing our best to try to um manage

56:08that impact, but unfortunately, it's not

56:10something we can just ignore. We do have

56:12to go in there and fix it. And as you

56:14can imagine, it's probably going to be

56:15another costly repair.

56:19>> Um, so with that, that's all I have

56:22tonight.

56:23>> All right. Well, thank you. U, are there

56:25any other discussion items that anybody

56:27wants to talk about?

56:29>> Wally, I guess the next um at the next

56:33water and sewer meeting, can you kind of

56:35uh do a presentation about the IG and

56:38reason for annexing the base?

56:41>> Sure. and talk a little bit about what

56:43that what that entails and how that's

56:45going to affect [snorts] your operations

56:48and things like that.

56:50>> I sure can. So, IGSAs are

56:54intergovernmental

56:55service agreements. Um, and we have a

56:58couple with the base and we just

56:59finalized for one one for water and

57:01sewer. So, it's very well timed. So, we

57:04can do that at the the next meeting. I

57:07think it's important in in light of uh

57:10that the bill that annexed the base and

57:14and our citizens understanding exactly

57:18what that means for them and how that

57:20how that impacts them.

57:22>> Okay. I can certainly do that from a

57:24water tour perspective. Absolutely.

57:29>> All right. With um anything else, the

57:31last thing I have is just to remind

57:33everyone that tomorrow is the 911

57:36ceremony, the 25th anniversary, which

57:39goes at the Legion Memorial Gardens

57:40about 8:15.

57:42And I'd like to thank city media for

57:44covering this meeting as always for the

57:46dedication.

57:48Um our next meeting is scheduled for

57:515:30 on October 8th, 2026.

57:56Uh if there are no other business, I

57:59will accept a motion to adjurnn.

58:00>> So move.

58:01>> Second.

58:02>> Second. meeting a journal.

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