The City of Fort Atkinson is starting to pay the price for its aging municipal water system, which is breaking down faster than the city anticipated.

The Fort Atkinson Department of Public Works is replacing a booster pump part downtown after two pumps broke over the last two months, a situation that could open the door to possible water main breaks.

The main-station water reservoir is located across from the municipal building and includes four booster pumps. All four of those pumps are over 50 years old and in need of replacement, city engineer Andy Selle told the city council July 5.

The council approved a $11,500 pump impeller replacement at cost of the replacement unanimously at the July 5 council meeting, but is running the risk of running over budget for its water system this year.

The master plan presented to council last August recommended the replacement of all four pumps with only three new ones and associated electrical upgrades at a total cost of $300,000, but the replacements were not included in the 2022 budget.

While the 2021 Water System Master Plan presented to the city council last August recommended these replacements, one of the pumps broke about two months ago and another had a failure over the last week, rendering it non-operational.

The pump that broke two months ago, Pump 302, requires a new motor, which is not a cost Selle said the department is willing to pay as it will be rendered useless when the entire system is replaced in the coming years. The more recent failure on Pump 301 requires a new impeller, which can be reused with an upgrade to the entire system and is not a lost investment, Selle said.

While the system pressure can be maintained with the other pumps, this leaves the main station reservoir water stagnant. The stagnant water can create challenges with managing sufficient chlorine levels during particularly warm summer days, making the replacement urgent, Selle explained.

Since the parts are outdated, Selle said utility staff had to go to multiple vendors before finding one who would replace the part. Water Well Solutions provided an estimate of $11,650 for the new impeller, which could potentially put the department over budget at the end of the year.

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