The City of Grinnell has secured $1 million to upgrade its water treatment plant, a major step in one of the city’s largest infrastructure investments.
The plant project started due to the deteriorated and corroded conditions of equipment, including the water softener and pipe gallery in the current water plant. The amount was approved at Monday’s City Council meeting.
The planned projects include building a new water plant, raw water main, water tower, well and retrofitting an existing well. According to an April 2024 plan produced by the department, these changes should reduce water hardness by 68 percent.
The project has accumulated approximately $90,000 in modifications to the original contract due to unforeseen issues or design adjustments, according to remarks during Monday’s session.
“For a project of this scale and considering that we are 35 percent completed, the total cost of all change orders is reasonable at this point,” City Manager Russ Behrens wrote in notes to the council.
In other City Council news:
- Grinnell College renewed its Class C retail liquor license, which allows the institution to sell alcoholic liquor, wine and beer for on-premises consumption. According to Ellen de Graffenreid, vice president for communication and marketing, the renewal was for the college’s golf course, reunion, special events and catering.
- The council authorized Aureon to install fiber optic lines along 5th Ave. to serve the Emera building at 1020 Main Street, directly south of McNally’s restaurant. The project, developed by Emera Urban Development Group, has been in development since early 2019 and will include underground parking and approximately 3,500 square feet of commercial space.
- Approved payments included approximately $468,000 for the Bliss Street & 8th Avenue Improvements Project, $174,000 for the Hazelwood Cemetery Roads Project and $136,000 for the payment on the Scout Subdivision project.
- The council also approved street closures for the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce’s Homecoming Parade on Oct. 9, which will affect Commercial Avenue, Park Street, Broad Street, Main Street, and Third, Fourth and Fifth Avenues starting at 4 p.m.
- The council proclaimed Nov. 18 as National Injury Prevention Day. According to the proclamation, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for Iowans ages 1 through 44 and result in an annual average of 2,200 deaths and 14,000 hospitalizations statewide.
The Grinnell City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at City Hall, located at 520 4th Ave. Agendas and minutes are available at ngrinnellia.portal.civicclerk.com.
