Lake Road Lift Station

The Sewer Enterprise Fund will be used to fund this proposed project and this includes the proposed irrigation line replacement.

The City hired a geotechnical engineering consultant to complete a slope stability analysis on the existing bank/slope the proposed new sewer line and irrigation line are planned to be located along as shown on sheets C2.4 – C2.6 within the plans. The City expects to receive the slope stability analysis from the consultant towards the end of January 2024.  Once this report is complete, the City can provide a more detailed response to the stability of this existing slope.  

The route of the proposed sewer line alignment that would provide sewer service to the Red Mesa Heights and Canary Lane subdivisions would branch off the proposed Ridge’s gravity sewer line at the sewer manhole located at Station 36+46.93.  The sewer line that would serve these two neighborhoods would follow the existing driveway accesses of two residential properties to gain access into the roadway right-of-way of Santa Rosa Lane.  From Santa Rosa Lane, the proposed sewer lines would use roadway right-of-ways and sewer easements to serve these two neighborhoods with sewer.  

All new sewer pipe will be standard practice gasketed PVC pipe that has to successfully pass pressure/leakage tests before the sewer pipe(s) will be accepted and allowed to be put into service.

No public meetings were conducted before November 6, 2023. No City Council meetings have taken place as there have not been any activities that have required City Council to take action to date.

The City has not experienced any leaks and/or pipeline breaks requiring repairs in this section of the irrigation pipeline between the tailrace canal pumphouse and Highway 340.

As part of this project, the existing irrigation line will be removed and replaced with a new continuously fused 20” diameter HDPE pipeline along the alignment of the proposed sanitary sewer pipeline between Stations 26+67 and 37+57. By fusing the HDPE pipe, the pipeline will be one continuous pipeline with no fittings and/or joints. As such, the City does not anticipate that the new HDPE pipe will leak necessitating repairs.

As the City does throughout the collection system, the City uses state-of-the-art Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera equipment to inspect and monitor for inflow and infiltration (I/I) and alert City staff of possible repairs needed for the sewer joints and manholes and/or for nearby storm, potable water, or irrigation mains.

Noise from the diesel generator will be very minimal. The generator will be installed with a noise suppression “Quiet Pack” on the exhaust system to minimize noise. The decibel level for the generator is expected to be about 65 dB, which is no louder than normal conversation. Additionally, the generator will only run for 30 minutes, once a month for regular maintenance, lubrication, and general equipment exercise. The purpose of the generator is to maintain the operation of the lift station during a power outage. The fuel source is diesel which is stored in an integral fuel tank beneath the generator. At this time, the quantity of fuel stored has not been determined. Specifications for engine generators typically require fuel tanks to be large enough to allow for a minimum of 24 hours of continuous engine operation at ¾ load. City staff will refuel with diesel during regular maintenance checks at the Lift Station.

The route of the proposed sewer line alignment that would provide sewer service to the Red Mesa Heights and Canary Lane subdivisions would branch off of the proposed Ridge’s gravity sewer line at Station 36+46.93 following the existing driveway accesses of two residential properties to gain access into the roadway right-of-way of Santa Rosa Lane. From Santa Rosa Lane, the proposed sewer lines would use existing roadway right-of-ways and sewer easements to serve these two neighborhoods with sewer.

All new sewer pipe will be gasketed PVC pipe that has to successfully pass pressure/leakage tests before the sewer pipe(s) will be accepted and allowed to be put into service.

We do not anticipate any sanitary sewer overflows from a failure to private ponds because there are various contingency plans and equipment redundancies to maintain continuity of operations. We have a dedicated maintenance team available on call 24/7/365, ready to swiftly respond to any emergent issues that may arise, ensuring consistent operational efficiency.  The City utilizes standard gasket PVC sewer pipe that is pressure tested to confirm that it is not leaking prior to acceptance from the contractor and before it is put into service.  This is standard practice supported by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) professional practice for the industry.  In addition, clay cut-off walls will be installed upstream of sewer manholes to stop the flow of water along the pipeline.  Clay cut-off walls help City crews identify potential leaks by visually seeing a wet spot on the ground.  In addition, the City employs a state-of-the-art CCTV camera system that inspects sewer lines for conditions and can help identify if there is an issue with a pipe joint that could result in a leak.

This project is expected to yield a substantial positive impact on water quality in the Connected Lakes area over the long term.  Approximately 165 homes in the Connected Lakes, Canary Lane, and Red Mesa Heights subdivisions presently discharge untreated sewage into septic systems, ultimately releasing it into the ground near the surrounding ponds. With these septic systems aging and prone to failure, there's a risk of contamination, involving E. coli, chemicals, as well as nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus seeping into the groundwater and ponds.  The Lake Road Lift Station project is believed to significantly enhance water quality in the area by facilitating the future connection of these 165 homes to sanitary sewers. Once connected, their waste will be gathered and conveyed to the Persigo Wastewater Treatment Plant for the highest quality treatment before being returned to the Colorado River. This crucial step will mitigate the environmental impact caused by the current discharge methods, thus promoting healthier and more sustainable water ecosystems in the region.

1. The contractor will safely perform excavation for this area with trench boxes and other bracing mechanisms during construction and follow the existing road alignment to avoid cross slopes and excessive surface erosion. A geotechnical engineer will be involved throughout construction to observe excavation and testing for backfill material testing. 

1. We don’t have a current 2023 cost estimate for the Red Mesa Heights sewer improvement district.  If there is sufficient interest from the property owners in the Red Mesa Heights area to connect to sewer, we can schedule a community meeting to discuss this option and prepare preliminary cost estimates.