City seeks bids for excavator

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders hope the purchase of a trailer-mounted hydro excavator will reduce the risk of inadvertently damaging nearby utilities when working on city water lines, as well as save on labor costs. The equipment purchase is projected to cost more than $100k and bid specs will be presented to City Council Monday evening.

The machine uses high pressure water sprayed from a handheld wand to loosen soil which is then vacuumed into a storage tank. City staff indicate access to a hydro excavator will not eliminate the need for a backhoe but will greatly reduce the risk of damage to nearby utilities.

"Today's landscape is literally jam-packed with buried water, sewer, phone, gas, fiber optic, electric lines, lawn irrigation and a variety of other wires and pipes. While backhoes are great for the rough work they are not very discriminating," according to city staff in Monday's agenda packet.

City water department crews are anticipated to spend significantly less time in the trenches, hand digging, saving labor time and increasing safety.

The water department budgeted $113,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal year budget. The funds are slated to come from water collection revenues.

The deadline for bid submission is recommended to be set at 2 p.m. on April 11, 2016.