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Water Superintendent Paul McCarthy told the Board of Public Utilities during Thursday's meeting that the water department is in violation of the Backflow Prevention Program and the city has policies in place that were never enforced.
The city has 301 commercial accounts. Some have backflow preventions on them. Some do not.
McCarthy submitted a quote to the board from Operator Training Committee of Ohio. The quote was for 50 water surveys and staff training for $17,795. They would take care of notifying the Ohio EPA and do some in-house training to make sure those trained are capable of doing the remainder of the 301 accounts plus residential homes that have swimming pools.
McCarthy told the board that East Liverpool is not the only community the Ohio EPA is picking on regarding backflow. Salem, Toledo and other cities are also under the gun, and this is something the EPA is pushing hard.
Board member Tim Clark said he would take the issue under advisement and questioned whether someone should be hired to help with the issue. Board member Ray Sullivan said they need to know the time frame that the EPA is willing to work with them on this.
McCarthy said they could possibly start the training in the fall if approved.
Clark suggested writing a purchase order and getting a schedule and then making the decision. Sullivan agreed they should at least get the ball rolling. Clark also said the money would have to come from the R&I Fund.
McCarthy also informed that divers finished up the intake line and at the water plant the hot water heater sprung a leak. The sludge meter that records how much sludge is being discharged is not working --river pump number one is now being used again.
Line Foreman Jayson Jackson said it has been a busy month and they had to deal with a 37 breaks in the East End where once they fixed one hole that blew that had another one blew which resulted in a third hole blowing in the line.
Jackson said that line needs replaced.
He noted a break in the main line at the Haywood Pump Station. He suggested the board look into having a welder fix the pipe. Crews are checking it weekly right now.
Jackson also said crews are behind in filling holes in the city because they have been tied up with nine service lines and 11 main line breaks in the past three weeks.
Jackson said the city is also behind on the critical valve project and inquired about the purchase of a new one-ton dump truck because the 2016 dump truck is worn out. He said he received a quote for $105,000 but feels one could be built cheaper.
Jackson also said he believes the city needs to increase the tap fees.
Wastewater Superintendent Dave Freeman said his department got a lot accomplished including the primary tanks, getting the skimmers finished in tanks one and two, fixing the auger in tank one and more.
He noted pump three went down during the storm.
Freeman again questioned what would be included in the planned updates for the plant and said he needed to know because it did not make much sense to invest money in repairs now of something that may be included in the updates
Clark said he looked into the insurance and there are multiple items that need removed. He said they are insuring vehicles they no longer own and insuring the intake. He said the insurance on the intake line and on these vehicles needs cancelled. He said the vehicle insurance is an absolute mess, and they really need to do something with that.
Clark also said questions are now being raised regarding the non-union employees wage increase passed by the council during its last meeting.
Clark noted that the city is broke when it comes to the Water and Wastewater departments.
The Board of Public Utilities meets the third Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in council chambers at the East Liverpool City Hall. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 19.
kgarabrandt@mojonews.com