Wasco to spend $38M on water upgrades

The Wasco City Council Tuesday night authorized nearly $38 million to upgrade its aging water system.

"Once funded, it will enable the replacement of four aging wells with new ones. While this replacement will not increase overall water capacity, it will provide more reliable water infrastructure with modern equipment," Assistant City Manager Maria Lara explained.

Under the proposed agreement with the State Water Board, the improved wells will open up opportunities to begin issuing "will-serve" letters to developers for smaller projects, addressing the city's immediate water capacity needs on a case-by-case basis. "This is crucial, as the city is currently unable to issue such letters due to its existing water limitations."

By replacing these wells, the city aims to ensure a more dependable water supply, creating the potential to start building more homes and supporting smaller development projects. "However, the city still needs to secure funding for at least one or two additional wells to significantly expand capacity and accommodate larger projects in the future," she said.

Overall, the new wells represent a critical step toward improving the efficiency of water management and providing the city with more flexibility to evaluate and approve new developments as capacity allows.

Also, at the meeting, the council discussed the deterioration of Scofield Avenue, which has worsened significantly over the past five years. The city has received numerous complaints about potholes and poor road conditions in the last six months, prompting staff to investigate and prioritize a solution.

City staff conducted a soil investigation and developed plans and specifications for the improvement project. Following the advertisement for bids on Dec. 14, six contractors submitted proposals, with costs ranging from $456,176 to $555,948.

Nagle Earthworks emerged as the most cost-effective and qualified contractor, with a bid of $456,176 to complete the Scofield Avenue Improvement Project.

"The people who work at the prison will be very happy about this. They have been communicating with me, and I have been sharing this information with our city staff regarding this issue. I'm really pleased that our staff has taken the necessary steps to address it. Funding for these types of projects is not readily available, but I'm glad they were able to secure funding," Councilmember Gilberto Reyna said.

The council authorized the city manager to finalize and execute a short-term rental agreement with Pinnacle Prestress, Inc., a precast concrete manufacturer operating in Wasco. Pinnacle will rent approximately 15 acres of city-owned land located at the former farm labor camp site on a month-to-month basis for $4,000 per month, with an initial partial payment of $3,000.

The agreement, expected to last up to one year, provides Pinnacle with temporary storage space for equipment and materials during their expansion efforts. Both parties anticipate replacing this arrangement with a long-term lease or purchase agreement in the near future. The council's Real Estate Committee and city attorney reviewed the proposal and recommended approval.

The agreement will generate approximately $23,000 this fiscal year and $24,000 next year 2025-26.