City to study utility rates
CHENEY – The City Council unanimously approved Resolution F-015 on Tuesday, March 22, to allocate over $90,000 to study residential and commercial water and utility rates.
Cheney will contract with the FCS Group to perform the research, costing the city $92,565.
“It’s always nice to have a third party come in and do an extensive rate study,” Public Works Director Todd Ableman said.
The city has been contracting with FCS Group since 2009 to study utility rates. Ableman said the city’s emergency water reserve has been replenished after being depleted throughout 2020 and 2021 and wants FCS Group to go back and reassess.
“Happy to report that we are above water now, and we do have most of our emergency reserve back,” Ableman said, noting the study will take 6-9 months.
Purple pipes bid awarded
CHENEY – Esvelt Environmental Engineering was awarded the contract for the second phase of the purple pipe project to replace the wastewater treatment plant’s motor control centers.
The company submitted a low bid of $885,952.
The multi-phase project is designed to reuse wastewater for irrigation. It involves installing filtration systems at the wastewater treatment plant and pipes that feed into public spaces requiring irrigation. The system could eventually be expanded throughout the Cheney School District and Eastern Washington University grounds.
The purple pipes project will reduce aquifer depletion and help manage the region’s water supply responsibly.
Cheney Free Press
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