HUMBOLDT - Faced with a water treatment plant dating back to 1930, the Humboldt City Council received a facility plan and analysis on the plant from Fox Engineering of Ames at Monday's council meeting.

The council had asked for the study to determine options for maintaining the existing plant.

Lance Aldrich, project manager for Fox, presented the results of the evaluation. Aldrich reported four critical deficiencies of the facility for future use, including storage capacity, pumping, and standby power.

The evaluation offered three options:

- Up to $1.3 million in repairs now for five years of operation, plus $8.3 to $13.4 million for a new facility in 2014

- Major overhaul of the existing plant now for $4.2 to $6.4 million for 20-year use

- Up to to $1.3 million in repairs now for five years of operation, with complete major overhaul in 2014.

Aldrich said the current plant could be fixed to last another 20 years. However it was unlikely that the city could get 100 years use out of a new facility, he said.

Mayor Walter Jensen and Councilman John Sleiter felt the five-year options sounded like the best way to go.

Councilman LeRoy Jorgensen asked if a new plant would require a new location.

Aldrich said there was not enough room at the current location for a new plant.

Jorgensen asked if the work could be done in phases.

"For the plant itself, it would be more cost-effective to do it all at once," Aldrich said.

Councilman Jim Vermeer asked if there were any parts to the 80-year old plant that could not be repaired. Aldrich said everything appeared fixable.

Contact Robert Wolf at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net