Article submitted by James Master, The Pilot News Managing Editor
During last week’s Argos Town Council meeting, there was a public hearing so that the town can apply for a water grant. The grant would help with funding items like repairs to water lines as well as repainting the water tower and installing an aerator.
Shannon McLeod, a grant writer from Priority Project Resources Inc., was present via Zoom. McLeod explained that when they were doing the work on the Downtown Square Project, Utility Superintendent Jamie Lindstrom indicated that the water utility was in need of some improvements. He had asked McLeod if there were any grants that were available.
“So, I told him the first thing we needed to do was we needed to develop a thorough scope of work. Exactly what we were doing and put some cost estimates together. He, in turn, got ahold of the engineers at Abonmarche and over the course of the last four to six months they have analyzed your water utility and they have also reviewed the tank inspection reports that were performed back in 2021 to just verify that those recommended improvements were necessary,” McLeod said.
She went on to say that Abonmarche determined the scope of work, and it would focus on two main components of the town’s water utility. “We will be doing tank rehabilitation and we also will be replacing and installing some new water mains in the community.”
The 250,000-gallon underground water storage tank is showing some signs of age and disrepair. McLeod stated that the roof needs to be replaced. “And I think Jamie (Lindstrom) is going to go ahead and do that outside of the project scope, but what we’re going to do, if and when we receive the grant funds, is we’ll be hiring a contractor that will be draining the tank, they’ll be going down and replacing all of the pipes that are in the interior of that tank.”
McLeod stated that there will also be some hairline fractures in the concrete that will be addressed. It will also be deep cleaned and disinfected before being refilled.
The other storage tank that’s located next to the town building will have the interior and exterior painted. “The tank’s 17-years-old and the paint’s only good for 15 to 20,” said McLeod, adding that the paint’s starting to show signs that it needs to be repainted. The paint covers the steel and if the steel starts to rust, McLeod said that the town would be looking at a more expensive rehabilitation project.
“That’s why it’s imperative that we clean it inside and out.”
Moving on, McLeod discussed the proposed water distribution improvements.
“You have a four-inch galvanized iron ductile pipe in the ground on South Short and Broadway. And this line has broken down several times simply because it’s undersized and the hydrants and the pressure needs. It just can’t take that at its age. So, we’re going to be, as part of this project, that will be dug up and it’ll be replaced with a new ductile. I think it’s a six-inch ductile pipe that’s going to be replaced,” said McLeod.
Another proposed improvement that was explained was the installation of a water main. There are two areas in town that have a two-inch service line. Because of that, the water pressure isn’t that great. The improvement would see a brand-new line being installed in those areas. It would be an eight-inch pipe.
The total project cost is estimated at $1,013,000. The grant that the town is requesting totals $700,000 from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. It is a federal grant. That would leave the town responsible for $313,000.
McLeod stated that she had met with Clerk-Treasurer Lisa Mullaney, and they had decided where the funds would come from. “We’ve earmarked about $249,500 from what’s available of the remaining ARPA Funds that you received. And then the remaining $63,500 will come from the Water Utility.”
She told the council that this is an all or nothing type of grant. “It’s either we get it or we don’t,” she said.
The application was submitted last Friday and a representative from OCRA will be meeting with the town to discuss the project in the near future. The winners of the grant will be announced early next year.
If the town is successful, McLeod said they would go forward with formalizing the plans and specifications and try to have the project bid sometime next summer.
If the town isn’t successful, the town can reapply in the spring cycle which is in March 2023.
