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SALEM -- The city Parks Commission on Wednesday approved backflow preventer upgrades at the Centennial Pool to meet a state mandate the city water department is required to enforce citywide.
The cost was estimated at more than $1,500 to $1,600, plus an additional cost for plumbing work, but commission members learned this may not be the end.
More backflow preventers may have to be installed in other park locations where water is being used, meaning even more cost.
City utilities distribution foreman Terry Endsley delivered the bad news about the cost for the upgrades, providing drawings to better explain what has to be done and volunteering his department to do the digging. The price quoted covers the equipment.
The parks department received a notification from the city utilities department dated Jan. 28 regarding the need for the backflow preventer, with a deadline of April 28 set for installation, testing and reporting back to utilities about project completion. The backflow device will have to be tested once a year after installation.
Endsley agreed to come to the parks commission meeting to explain it.
"There's no option here," Endsley said.
He also stressed that it's not the utilities department doing this, but the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The department has to enforce the state rule.
"Everybody's caught with this," Chairman John Panezott said.
The city Utilities Commission has been talking about the backflow prevention rule for awhile now. The surveys of the water systems and enforcement began with commercial and industrial water customers and pools and irrigation systems are next, then residential.
The process begins with a water use survey and inspection, then enforcement if necessary to ensure a backflow prevention device is in place and working properly.
The whole idea is to prevent any contamination from water going back into the city water system from a customer's water service.
Parks Foreman Jim Grimm said he'll further consult with utilities to see where else the backflow preventers need to be installed in the parks and report back to the parks commission.
In other business, the commission agreed to spend up to $2,200 for repairs to the dump truck bed after being told a new bed would cost $11,000 to $12,000. Grimm also reported he and his crew have been removing snow, cleaning storm drains and removing dead trees at the city lake.
Parks Director Shane Franks reported that Rob and Ann Lowry are donating the cost of all movies and refreshments for Family Movie Nights this summer in memory of their late daughter, Lizzie. One of the movies on the schedule happens to be her favorite, Free Willy, which coincidentally will be shown on her birthday, Aug. 13.