Beatrice Water Department to use project savings to upgrade computer system

BEATRICE – The Beatrice Board of Public Works has recommended shifting funds from a capital improvement project that came in well under budget, to a critical computer system update for the city’s water department.

Water Superintendent Steve Kelley says a water main project on Millikin Street was completed about $80,000 under what was budgeted.
"Our SCADA system crashed, which is basically the brains over water controls. It controls the towers, it controls the wells, it controls water for Koch (Nitrogen). That needs to be updated. That cost is slightly less than $70,000. So, I want to use that money that we saved on the budget for that water main project, for the computer upgrade."

The funds will pay for the equipment computer upgrade and a year’s worth of maintenance. Annual ongoing maintenance was said to be about $10,000. Kelley says the original system was installed in 1996….and the upgrade is needed. The B-P-W approved the move of funds to the project, unanimously.

Kelley said his department is finishing the last work on a West Court Street area water project.  On East Court, Myers Construction continues with major water main replacement that is being funded through an interest-free state loan. That company recently wrapped up work along Court between Hayes and 13th….and is moving west on the project to replace more than 100-year-old water mains.

"They're installing pipe between 12th and 11th. Once that's done, they'll connect those services...and then they'll go from 11th down to 9th. They're doing it in two-block stretches. That's what we recommended, so we're not having a large area torn up."

Officials are trying to minimize the amount of time customers are without water, as connections to the new mains are completed. City officials say they are not installing new disability ramps at intersections at this time...because the State of Nebraska plans a resurfacing project in that same area. That’s when the new ramps will be installed.

Kelley says a new water transmission line northwest of Beatrice from city well fields is about to be put in service. It will provide redundancy in the city’s system of pumping water to underground reservoirs and towers, within the city.