Fairport Harbor reviewing contractors' bids for water-vault improvements

Jan. 27—Fairport Harbor has taken an important step toward the starting point for making a significant upgrade to the village's water-distribution system.

The village has received bids from companies that are interested in performing a water-vault interconnection project.

"We are reviewing those (bids)," said village Engineer Clyde Hadden, at the Jan. 17 Village Council meeting.

The bid advertisement had listed $100,000 as the engineer's opinion of probable construction cost, and a project completion date of May 26.

Village Administrator Amy Cossick, in a Jan. 19 email exchange with The News-Herald, said legislation to award a contract for the project is expected to be on Village Council's Feb. 21 meeting agenda.

Fairport Harbor is seeking a contractor to install two new pressure-regulating valves and a master meter, for billing purposes, inside an existing valve vault on Richmond Street. Completing this work is a key part of the village's plan to purchase bulk water from the city of Painesville.

The valve vault is situated in Painesville, just southeast of the Route 535 bridge and close to the city's border with Fairport Harbor. Painesville has given Fairport Harbor permission to make improvements in the vault, to ensure the safe distribution of drinkable water to the village.

In September, the village entered into a 20-year agreement to purchase bulk water that is treated and supplied by Painesville. Fairport Harbor Village Council and Painesville City Council each took formal action to approve the contract, which can be extended in 20-year increments.

Under terms of the pact between the two communities, Fairport Harbor will purchase bulk water from Painesville at an initial cost of $3.57 per 100 cubic feet.

The village, meanwhile, would maintain its current water-rate structure and continue to bill customers under that system.

"The village is still going to sell residents water," Mayor Timothy Manross said, during a 2022 public meeting about the future method of supplying the village with drinking water. "We're maintaining distribution of water through pipes. There's still a cost associated with that."

But before Painesville can start furnishing Fairport Harbor with water that is purified at the city's treatment plant, the village must complete some key infrastructure upgrades relating to its water-distribution system.

The first project is improving the valve vault along Richmond Street, which Fairport Harbor's primary connection to Painesville's water system.

Hadden said bids will be sought next month for three other water-system projects. Those endeavors will:

—Construct a new, elevated water storage tank with a 250,000-gallon capacity, which would replace a similar, but smaller existing structure in the village.

The new storage tank would be constructed on the property of the village Service Department at 1340 East St. Fairport Harbor's current water storage tank — which was built in 1935 and holds 200,000 gallons of water — is based on Orchard Street.

A study by CT Consultants, a Mentor-based engineering firm, showed that the current water storage tower doesn't have adequate capacity for firefighting when the village has a peak day for overall water demand.

—Construct a secondary connection to the Painesville water system.

CT Consultants Vice President Richard Iafelice noted that once the Fairport Harbor water plant is decommissioned, the village's only connection to Painesville's water system would be through the vault on Richmond Street.

"A secondary connection is advised," he said, during discussions of the water-system changes last year. "It's a guideline — not a mandate — from (the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency) for best practices."

He said that the secondary connection would be good to have during emergency situations — such as if the Route 535 bridge collapsed and damaged the main waterline.

It's anticipated that the secondary waterline would be constructed on Saint Clair Street.

—Demolish the Fairport Harbor water treatment plant at 5 High St. once Painesville starts supplying the village with bulk water.

Built nearly 100 years ago, the water treatment plant has become a costly place for the village to maintain and upgrade. The plant also is located on property along the Lake Erie shoreline that has often been touted as a prime spot for future economic development.

An actual start date of water service from Painesville has not yet been determined.

"It is largely dependent on the availability of materials, and the installation of the pressure-regulating valves and the master meter," Fairport Harbor Village Administrator Amy Cossick said during an interview in late 2022.