SALEM — Hurry up and wait — that’s pretty much what the city Utilities Commission members heard Thursday about the status of several projects.

The Highland Avenue water tank pumping station is a month past the required completion date and commission members learned the valve that’s been holding up the project isn’t expected in the contractor’s hands until today.

Jon Vollnogle of Howells & Baird, the engineering firm on the project, explained that the contractor had all the other work finished by the date specified in the contract, but the delay with the valve was the holdup. The valve is to be installed on Monday.

Utilities Superintendent Don Weingart said they’ll be able to partially fill the tank to do some tests, then they’ll refill as much as possible Tuesday and do more testing, then Wednesday will be a one-day grace period, followed by the factory representative coming to test the equipment next Thursday.

He’s expecting the pumping station to operate quite a bit, but they’re still working on a plan for how they’re going to operate, such as shutting off the Southeast Boulevard pump station when Highland is operating, which will gave that end of town fresher water.

Once everything’s done, commission Chairman Bob Hodgson said they’ll figure out what to do about the contract being completed late.

For several years now, the commission has placed a clause in all project contracts with financial consequences for contracts that aren’t completed on time. The practice came about after the commission had to find another contractor to finish the first phase of what’s become a multi-phase upgrading of the wastewater treatment plant.

For the Snyder Road sewer line project, which will stretch from South Lincoln Avenue along Snyder Road to Newgarden Avenue, Vollnogle gave commission members the cost breakdown, noting that the main line with the elimination of the Fresh Mark lift station is estimated to cost $1,790,000. For a branch to travel down Depot Road to eliminate the Marion Road lift station, it will cost an additional $372,000. He said they can be bid together or bid separately.

As for the easements? They’re still waiting to hear from Ohio Edison for an easement sought across company land and Vollnogle said Ohio Edison has had the information for three months and he hasn’t heard a response to several emails he sent.

Hodgson asked if there was an alternative route in case they don’t hear from Ohio Edison, which Vollnogle said yes, they could use an alternative route. He said the plan is to bid the project this fall, which actually is a good time because that’s when contractors are lining up work for next year.

For the Phase 2 wastewater treatment plant project, they’re still waiting on the permit to install from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. For Phase 3, they received a copy of the scope of work and asked Weingart and Assistant Superintendent Matt Hoopes to review it. Hoopes said once they have the cost estimates, it will be easier to pare down which features to keep and which they’ll have to wait on.

With the new water well planned for the Cold Run Creek Water field, the commission learned they’re still waiting on the OEPA’s permit to install.

A study for the water treatment plant optimization was delivered, all 105 pages, with the commission asking for a work study session to be scheduled so the consultant can go over the suggestions made to optimize operations at the water plant. Water Plant Manager Larry Sebrell said he’s already done three of the suggestions on the list and they helped.

The department is currently in the selection process for an engineering firm to design both a water line replacement and a wastewater treatment line replacement on Franklin Avenue between South Broadway and South Lincoln.

While going over financial matters and the dwindling total for the wastewater side, the issue of needing a wastewater rate increase was mentioned again. The commission increased water rates a couple years ago, but city council controls the wastewater, also known as the sewer rates.

“We haven’t had a rate increase since 1997. It’s time to consider it,” Weingart said.

The next utilities commission meeting is set for 4 p.m. Nov. 15. A work session is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. that day regarding the water treatment plant optimization if the consultant is available.

mgreier@salemnews.net