Written by Jean McLaughlin
BG independent news
In order for Bowling Green to accurately bill its customers for water and wastewater services, it needs a properly functioning water meter.
However, recently, the city’s water distribution and sewage collection division has confirmed that the failure rate of water meters is increasing due to aging equipment.
Brian O’Connell, the city’s director of public infrastructure and public works, explained that it’s gotten to the point where crews are having to replace 40 to 50 water meters every week.
It is the city’s responsibility to replace faulty meter equipment, O’Connell reported at Monday’s Public Utilities Commission meeting. And the infrastructure inventory budget doesn’t have enough money to sustain the pace of replacement for the rest of the year.
So the Public Utilities Commission agreed to transfer $180,000 from the unappropriated Water Capital Reserve Fund to the Infrastructure Inventory Fund for new meters and transmission units.
Mr O’Connell predicted that the high number of water meter failures would continue for several more years as more meters reach their estimated 15-year useful life.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board approved the purchase of new equipment and vehicles for the city’s electric department.
In March, the board passed a resolution to purchase used line and bucket trucks, resulting in savings of more than $75,000 over purchasing new trucks.
Jim O’Donnell, the city’s assistant director of public utilities, said the electric department plans to include a new backhoe in its 2025 budget request to replace the existing one. However, with equipment prices expected to rise next year and funds available this year, O’Donnell recommended purchasing a backhoe this year.
Taking advantage of a government purchasing program with competitive pricing options, the electric department is interested in a new John Deere backhoe for $105,368.
The board approved the purchase and transfer of hand-me-down equipment. It was recommended that the Electricity Department’s existing backhoe be sent to the Water Pollution Control Department because it is in better condition than the one currently being used by the Water Pollution Control Department. The existing water pollution control backhoe will then be traded in and an estimated $10,000 will be used to purchase new equipment.
