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Plans for River Heights emergency water pump project put into action

November 11th, 2009 Posted in Opinion

By Catherine Meidell

RIVER HEIGHTS–As one of the last municipalities in Cache Valley to install an emergency water pump, River Heights City Council decided Tuesday they have waited long enough to tackle this project and are now taking it on full force, realizing the liability and safety issues that come without having a back-up water source.

“I’m prone to react to set us up for worst case scenarios,” said Councilman Rob Gines, head of the emergency water pump project.

The pump will cost approximately $104,000 not including the work necessary to install it.

Mayor Bill Baker said he is more than willing to spend this large sum of money on a fixture that will keep the city more secure in the event of a disaster. Baker is anxious to get the emergency pump in place as soon as possible. After the pump is installed, surrounding cities can use River Heights’ water as a resource if needed, he said.
“We’ve been talking about this generator for years, people,” Baker said.

Because council members have not found grants that will contribute to the cost of the water pump, the funds will come out of the city’s savings account and its future revenue, Baker said.

River Heights uses 9 million gallons of water in the winter and 40 million in the summer through two tanks that hold a total amount of 1.5 million gallons of water. The new installment will be a 64 DV pump, which creates a sound not quite as loud as a lawnmower, Gines said.

The pump will not only ensure security to the resident of River Heights, it will allow future expansion of the water system as the city grows, said Kent Parker, city public works director. He said the two water wells were built in 1935 and the one that has been reconstructed is the best well in the state of Utah. If it comes down to a lack of money, Parker said the city can do without new water meters to allow more of the budget to go toward the emergency generator.

Council members will look into accumulating bids on the project, especially from businesses who will commit to service extensions.

Baker said, “With the economy like it is, we are going to get bids from all over the country.”

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