Oshkosh council vote to replace 'clearwell' water tanks. Why they didn't choose the cheapest option.
OSHKOSH – After a multiyear process, citizen pushback about the aesthetic impact of new construction and conflict and debate in a crucial location of Oshkosh, the city council made a decision on how to replace the century-old "clearwell" water tanks next to Lake Winnebago.
The Oshkosh council voted 6-1 to replace the underground tanks with at-grade rectangular, cast-in-place concrete tanks. Mayor Lori Palmeri was the only "no" vote.
The rectangular tanks, one of three options given to the council by city staff, were the second-most expensive option and are expected to cost the city $16.9 million in initial construction costs and $20.5 million in operating costs over 20 years.
The other options were circular tanks, which were recommended by city staff, that were estimated to be a little more than $4 million cheaper in initial and future costs, and rehabilitating the underground tanks, which would have cost $10 million more and were estimated to last for 20 to 30 years after construction finished, compared to at least 60 years for the new options.
Most council members suggested they viewed the rectangular tanks as a compromise between the aesthetic concerns of the project put forward by some citizens who live near the lakefront and finding the most cost-effective option.
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Council member Michael Ford said he felt some "unfair criticism" was made against city staff over replacing the water tanks, something that turned into a multiyear saga of approving the project.
He also said he doesn't believe the extra $4 million option is a "frivolous expense" because of the project's prominent location on the Lake Winnebago shoreline.
The city needs to update the underground tanks because the current tanks don't fit Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulations that were changed more than a decade ago.
The city held informational meetings about a plan to replace the clearwells in 2017 and in 2021, where many residents — including Beth Wyman, the owner of The Waters along the lake, and outgoing state Rep. Gordon Hintz — voiced concerns about the size of the structures and how they would impact the attractiveness of the city, pushing finalization of the project further down the road.
Initially, the council was set to consider design recommendations for the proposed above-ground tanks in February, but City Manager Mark Rohloff removed the items from the agenda, pending a meeting with the DNR to discuss possible options — including an option that would keep the tanks underground.
In March, the council approved a $114,000 study to explore those other options.
In August, a report from a construction firm estimated if the city repaired the existing "clearwell" tanks, it would cost about $26.3 million over 20 years while lasting only 20 to 30 years before needing to be changed. In contrast, building above-ground tanks would cost between $16 million and $20 million over the same time frame and be in service between 60 to 100 years, according to the report.
Aaron Sherer, who started a Facebook group about the project, urged the council to take the option they ultimately approved, highlighting the prominent location right by a public park as a reason to really think about how the project would impact the area.
Sherer said in the many hours he spent looking for examples of water utility projects in similar prime locations, that cities have gone "to great lengths" to not make the project a "detriment to the setting."
"The low rectangular water tanks can be a part of a larger plan to enhance the area," Sherer said.
Though many who expressed opposition to the project wanted underground tanks or the tanks at a different location, the city maintained replacing or rehabbing the tanks where they currently are was the only option.
Council member Courtney Hansen thanked the citizens for being willing to "meet (the council) halfway" on the water tank issues.
Choosing a more expensive option means the water utility rates will end up being higher, according to Public Works Director James Rabe.
Although rates would have increased anyway because of the new construction, Rabe said they will definitely rise now, but the city won't know by how much for potentially more than a year.
Council member Aaron Wojciechowski ended up supporting the rectangular tank option, but expressed "disappointment" that people talking about the issue did not seem to care about how a higher price tag would impact everyone, especially those in low-income areas.
"I hope (the water utility increases) are not that detrimental," Wojciechowski said.
Ford said he hoped interactive areas could be worked into facility, such as a chance to learn about the clean water and the importance of water to Oshkosh as a community.
Palmeri added the council received emails saying the industrial look of the project would be "ugly," but she felt any tools that make safe drinking water would be "beautiful" — whether the tanks were rectangular or square.
"I like clean water out of my tap," Palmeri said.
Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh council to replace 'clearwell' water tanks after long battle
