Pacific Officials Discuss Water Pressure for Sprinklers in City Hall

Officials say the city needs to spend an additional $75,000 on the city hall expansion to provide water pressure for the sprinkler system needed in the building.

“We can either install a fire pump inside city hall or we can place a booster pump on West Osage that would create a high pressure zone in the city that would encompass Osage from Integram to Western, including all commercial and industrial properties,” said City Administrator Harold Selby.

Alderman Ed Gass said he prefers a booster pump that would increase pressure for more properties.

City Engineer Dan Rahn said there are positive reasons for the booster pump.

“We have developable properties that we would provide pressure for,” Rahn said.

But Alderman Jerry Eversmeyer disagreed, saying the city should conserve funds, install the pump inside city hall and let the properties on Osage install pumps if they are needed.

Gass also questioned the responsibility of the contractor to include the pump in the original bid.

“Do you think the engineers screwed up?” Gass asked. “Maybe the city attorney should look look into it. Is there a chance that the errors and omissions insurance should pay for the pump? The last thing on their proposal appears to be that we do not need an internal water pressure system.”

Vogel said it’s not clear what is needed.

“We don’t know whether it’s an error or misstated facts,” he said.

Aldermen approved the installation of the fire pump inside the building.