Why a New Water Plant?

Recognizing the Problem

In 2020, the City of Osawatomie began a comprehensive effort to address aging infrastructure across the community.

At the May 7, 2020 City Council meeting, Resolution 778 directed staff to establish an Infrastructure Strategy to guide City Council decisions about critical investments in Osawatomie’s utilities, streets, and facilities. During that same summer, staff reported serious issues within the water system, including:

• Only one functioning intake pump at the water treatment plant
• Frequent Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) regulatory violations
• Deteriorating and leaking waterlines

By December 10, 2020, staff presented Resolution 830, which directed the City to begin identifying options for addressing the condition of the Water Treatment Plant.

Launching a Closer Look

At the February 9, 2021 City Council meeting, then–City Manager Mike Scanlon presented the 2021 State of the City Water Facilities Report, which detailed the plant’s condition and rising risks. In response, the City Council created a Water Study Committee through Resolution 844.

This committee, composed of residents, City staff, and industry experts, first met in March 2021 and was tasked with reviewing all available options for the City’s water treatment system. At the same time, the City commissioned a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) with BG Consultants to evaluate the system’s long-term needs.

On December 9, 2021, the Water Study Committee recommended the City pursue construction of a new water treatment plant. This recommendation was adopted by the City Council on January 13, 2022 through Resolution 941.

Findings from the Preliminary Engineering Report

The Preliminary Engineering Report (March 2022) confirmed what staff and residents already knew: Osawatomie’s system had reached the end of its useful life.

Key findings included:

1. The plant is too old and too small to meet future needs.
   1. The intake structure and treatment plant were 60 to 80 years old, while the expected service life of a treatment facility is around 40 years.
   2. The equipment had reached the end of its usable life and the plant lacked redundancy, meaning that any equipment failure could take the entire system offline.
2. Regulatory pressures are increasing.
   1. The plant could not be adapted to meet modern standards such as advanced treatment for Cryptosporidium.
   2. The new federal Lead and Copper Rule requires major waterline replacement work throughout the city.
3. Distribution system challenges are widespread.
   1. Many of Osawatomie’s waterlines are 50 to 100 years old and made of galvanized or cast iron pipe, which typically lasts less than 50 years.
   2. Leaks, breaks, and water loss add operational cost and risk.
4. Population growth is not driving replacement.
   1. The need for investment is based on infrastructure age and compliance, not expansion, and account for normal population growth conditions. 

The report evaluated three options:

1. Upgrade the existing plant – Not feasible due to cost and site limitations.
2. Connect to wholesale providers – Possible, but expensive over time and does not address deteriorating distribution lines.
3. Build a new City-owned water treatment plant – Highest upfront cost, but best long-term value and control over water quality, reliability, and cost.

The PER also confirmed that Osawatomie’s treatment capacity should remain at 3 million gallons per day (MGD), the same as the existing plant, to ensure adequate supply and fire protection during peak demand periods.

Next Steps and Continued Analysis

In April 2023, the City completed a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) comparing the 20-year costs of three options:

• Building a new 3 MGD water treatment plant
• Connecting to Miami County Rural Water District #2
• Connecting to the Marais des Cygnes Public Utility Authority (MDCPUA)

The analysis concluded that constructing a new City-owned facility provides the lowest total cost and most control over long-term water quality and reliability. Later that summer, Ranson Financial completed a Financial Capacity Analysis modeling how the City could fund the new plant through state and federal programs.

In 2024, the City’s efforts paid off. USDA Rural Development awarded Osawatomie a $48 million funding package, including a $30 million loan for the new treatment plant and an $18 million grant for distribution system improvements. On September 12, 2024, the City Council approved Resolution 1255, authorizing the Mayor to execute the USDA loan and grant documents, officially securing the funding to modernize Osawatomie’s water system.

Want a more detailed look at the options explored in the Life Cycle Cost Analysis? Click here to download the report or browse the other documents linked below.

Water Plant Project - Continued Reading

• Options Explored
• Common Questions
• Project Updates