Hillsboro upgrades lift stations

By FINN HARTNETT

Staff writer

Hillsboro spent more than half its yearly sewer budget in one fell swoop Tuesday, approving upgrades to two of the city’s lift stations at a total cost of $158,291.37.

Hillsboro has nine lift stations, which collect sewage and pump it to wastewater treatment plants.

The industrial lift station on Industrial Rd. between 200th and 190th Rds. will receive a new pump, control panel, and operating system at the cost of $52,892.

“In 2024 alone, staff logged over 1,200 man-hours maintaining the industrial lift station,” city administrator Matt Stiles told council members. “This workload and the age of its 2009-era components highlight the need for replacement.”

Hillsboro’s primary lift station, on the southernmost point of S. Wilson St., will receive new pumps at the cost of $88,399.37.

The current pumps were installed in the early 2000s. The upgrade doubles the station’s capacity to 1,200 gallons per minute.

A $17,000 variable frequency drive enhancement also was approved and will be attached to pumps at the primary station.

The enhancement will allow the pumps to be cycled up and down with precision, rather than simply turned on and off.

Water and sewer supervisor Morgan Marler wasn’t sure variable frequency drives were needed, Stiles said.

“But I’ve always thought that VFDs were a good investment,” he said. “It increases the life of your pump.”

Some construction costs were not included in the budgeting. Stiles estimated they would cost less than $5,000.

The new pumps are covered under either three- or five-year warranties.

“Do we not get any extended warranties?” councilman Ronald Wilkins asked.

“I don’t think that’s typical.” Stiles said.

The sewer budget at the start of the fiscal year was $300,000.

The sewer department will pause its lining of old clay sewer mains to install the pumps, and probably won’t not pursue further capital projects this year.

In other city business, it was announced that the property on 812 E D St., formerly home to Wendy’s, has been put up for sale.