10-24-2012 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Project: Install Variable Speed Drives On Booster Station Pumps $47,000 Add Air Conditioning to Booster Station $16,000 Currently the Booster Station pumps can only run between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. We have a contract with Xcel Energy with these parameters because of the large power draw the pumps have. When the pumps turn on, they turn on full speed and run full speed until the water tower is filled. Variable speed drives will allow us to run the pumps at any time of the day and maintain a more consistent water level in the water tower. Currently, on hot summer days, the water tower level can get down below 10 feet of water, which is less than a quarter of the 1.5 million gallons of water the tower can store. The low level decreases pressure and can be problematic if there is a fire in town. The variable speed drives will allow the pumps to operate at a lower speed and keep the water level higher all day long. Other cities have said their pumps run at about 30% speed, which is a much lower power draw and will allow us to pump during the day. Xcel supports the addition of variable speed drives by giving a rebate to customers who install them. We could see a rebate of close to $5000 depending on numerous factors once the drives are operating. The addition of the variable speed drives along with the technological upgrades we made two years ago means that we need to control the climate in the Booster Station to protect the equipment. In the summer it can get very hot in the building when the pumps are running and it can also get pretty dusty with the vents sucking air in from the outside. Air conditioning will cool the building and equipment and keep it dust free.