City gets choice of 'alphabet soup'

The design team selected to develop McCook's water treatment plant will be serving up a selection of alphabet soup at the regular City Council meeting Monday night, 7:30 p.m., in the council chambers at Memorial Auditorium.

Several water treatment options will be presented to the council Monday night including IBS (iron based absorptive media), IX (anion exchange), RO (reverse osmosis), EDR (electro-dialysis reversal), CMF (coagulation aided membrane filtration) and ELS (enhanced lime softenings).

The design team of W Design and Jacobson Helgoth will present the options to the council Monday night for consideration. The report will include the estimated capital cost of each type of water treatment option, operation and maintenance costs, the total annual cost and the average cost to McCook water customers.

The report also will discuss the type of waste generated by each option and the type of disposal the waste will require.

During the meeting the council will be asked to approve two unrelated contracts with Miller & Associates Engineering.

The first contract involves renovations on the city's two elevated water towers including removing the lead based paint on the towers and repairing any leaks. The second phase of that project would include the renovation or replacement of the West Fifth booster station.

The second contract involves the work needed to complete the updating of the waste water treatment facility to comply with new Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding release of ammonia into the Republican River.

The council will also be asked to authorize the City Manager John Bingham to work with other western Nebraska cities and the Nebraska League of Municipalities to remove municipal water systems from consideration in new water regulation laws.

Citizens are encouraged to attend the regular meeting of the city council.