Kankakee Times

City of Watseka Public Works/Water Wastewater Committee met Sept. 17.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

PRESENT: Aldermen Cahoe, Marcier, Anderson, Miller, Muench, Alderwomen Rohlfs and DeLahr and Mayor Allhands 

ABSENT: Alderman Barragree 

GUESTS: Public Works Supervisor Loren Grosvenor and Keith Mulholland with Robinson Engineering 

Alderman Cahoe opened the meeting at 7:10 pm. There was no public comment. Public Works Supervisor Loren Grosvenor reported on the following projects: 

Test Wells: Loren has 1 land agreement and is having trouble getting 2 more, he would like to move forward with getting the 1 test well done, the cost is $3,000. The committee is ok with this. 

New Well 11: Operating permit has been submitted 

Well 6: This well was capped and abandoned 8/13/24, building was cleaned out 9/13/24 and the watermain is scheduled to be cut and capped outside of the building. 

Meter Reading Improvements-Radios: 1180 radios installed as of 8/20 and 300 more were delivered this month 

Fire Hydrants: hydrant flushing started 9/3/24, there are 330 hydrants that will all be serviced, Hydrant on Brown & Park was repaired, Hydrant & auxiliary valve on 10th & Oak was replaced, hydrant behind Watseka Healthcare on Raymond Rd was replaced, and the hydrant at Lakeview was repaired, all hydrants are working and operational. 

North St Watermain Extension under Railroad: this will be going out to bid on the IDOT bulletin on Thursday for 11 days. Lead Service Line Inventory Grant: LSLI sent to IEPA, continuing to be updated for annual reporting North St Watermain Extension: waiting on test well to be done, without a well the piping could go from a 12” to 8”, West side tower is still having some chlorine issues, by adding a larger main could lead to stagnate water as there is not enough housing on the west side. If the test well is good the city will need to purchase the lot it will sit on Watermain Breaks: 231 E Oak St, 4” on 9/3/24 

Source Water Protection Plan: IEPA sent in 2019 was never done, Robinson will need to do the engineering for this at an approximate cost of $9700. 

Waste Water Treatment Plant: not potable pump is done and waiting to be picked up, NPDES permit renewal is due 4/2025, the permit is due every 5 years, in the process of getting a quote from Robinson 

Sanitary & Storm Sewers: Locust & Brown Street manhole project preconstruction meeting to be held 9/24/24, after that the project should be started in about 1 month, 602 E Lincoln Ave: this property needs a manhole installed instead of cleanouts, the sewer main makes a 90 degree angle which is causing a lot of issues for a couple of residents, the cost will be about $3,000-$4,000 for materials 

Parks: Kay and Westside Park pavilions painting completed 8/22/24, OSLAG grant for Lakeview Park was submitted 9/12/24, will be February to June before we know anything 

Streets: Lincoln & Belmont-add an all way stop with flashing stop signs and a crosswalk, cost for the flashing stop signs is $2,000 (solar) and they can be moved to different areas if needed. Fairman & S 4th St; and an all-way stop, MFT heat & recycle project is still waiting for the fog coat, Martin Ave extension -contracts are signed and waiting for scheduling, spray patch machine is still filling potholes 

Staffing: need to hire 2, one employee quit due to low wages 

Equipment: ordered 600’ of new hose for the vaccon, this is due to age and loss of length over time and rebuild kit for the water pump, the grant for the spray patch machine has been approved, truck 1 needs tires, waiting on a quote 

Mayor Allhands stated on the full council agenda will be a resolution for ITEP grant which is the downtown street scape grant. 

Alderman Cahoe makes a motion to adjourn at 7:44 pm and Alderman Marcier seconded. Roll call carried 8-0.

https://www.watsekacity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/public-works-water-waste-water-9-17-24.pdf