West Plains, Mo. – The West Plains Public Works Department is developing a long-term, strategic capital plan to guide future investments. The Integrated Plan (IP) enables the City to prioritize and address the critical infrastructure needs first while maintaining compliance with State and Federal regulations and continuing to provide customers with reliable and affordable water services.
The IP establishes a 30-year schedule to:
- alleviate sewer treatment and capacity constraints;
- enhance drinking water storage, treatment, and distribution systems;
- renew aging and failing infrastructure; and
- meet current and future regulatory requirements.
The IP is flexible and adaptive. The City of West Plains is committed to reviewing the IP improvement schedule on a regular basis to consider new community priorities. Through the adaptive IP process, the capital improvement schedule will reflect newly identified infrastructure needs while maintaining regulatory compliance. IP revisions will be presented to the City Council before they are finalized with MODNR.
DEFINING THE NEED
West Plains cares about the level and quality of service provided by the drinking water, sewer, stormwater services. To address identified aging infrastructure issues, mitigate stormwater flooding, and plan for future capacity needs, the City of West Plains completed a series of Master Plans. The Master Plans identified the following needs:
Drinking Water:
- additional potable water storage,
- high services pumps,
- distribution line repairs,
- expanded treatment capacity, and
- service line inventory
Sewer Treatment:
- collection system repairs,
- repair and replace aging infrastructure,
- upgrade treatment facility to enhance capacity and address permit requirements.
Stormwater:
- Resolve drainage problems, and
- Maintain compliance with the stormwater permit.
MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE BILLS AND RELIABLE SERVICE
Recent Master Plans developed for the sewer treatment facility and collection system, drinking water treatment plant and distribution system, and stormwater system indicate that significant capital improvements are needed to meet customer demands, repair aging infrastructure, and meet our regulatory requirements. Through the IP process, the City is exploring the most cost-effective and affordable options available for sequencing and funding the upgrades.
The City has managed to provide our customers with affordable user rates while providing a reliable level of service. Over the next 30 years, we intend to continue our history of maintaining affordable utility bills while enhancing our level of service.
While the City embarks upon the identified capital improvement plans, we are committed to maintaining affordable water rates that are comparable to the rates of our neighboring communities.
The City will take every opportunity to seek out and apply for grants and low-interest loans to keep costs low and optimize our project goals.
STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Missouri of Department of Natural Resources (MODNR) recognize the IP process as a solution that achieves the highest level of water quality by prioritizing and scheduling investments based on the specific needs of the City.
MODNR has expressed their support for the City’s preliminary IP improvement schedule. The City intends to complete the IP and gain final regulatory approval by February 2022. At that time, the IP improvement schedule will be formalized within our sewer treatment permit.
West Plains is following EPA’s Framework to develop the 6 Element IP:
- Develop the vision.
- Describe existing facility performance.
- Maintain community involvement.
- Evaluate project alternatives.
- Identify investments & develop the schedule.
- Implement & measure success.
For more information, contact City Hall at 417-256-7176. Pamphlets detailing the strategic plan can be picked up at City Hall, 1910 Holiday Lane, and found at westplains.gov.
