BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Lake Butler City Council members voted to abandon their efforts to replace the city’s aging groundwater storage tank and instead pursue refurbishing the existing tank.
The action comes after the lowest bid submitted by contractors was $278,000 over the amount of a state grant awarded to the city.
Representatives from Mittauer and Associates, which has been working with the city on the project, told commissioners they have contacted Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection about the change in scope. However, the state agency has not responded to the city’s proposal.
Mittauer’s Greg Lang told council members that if successful, the rehabbed tank would be inspected every five years and give the city decades of service.
“Also, the rehab they inspect will come in significantly less than a full replacement,” Lang said, “which means some other items related to the water system will be able to be rehabbed or replaced.”
Lang added that during the rehab, the city’s water system would bypass the tank, continuing service to water customers.
