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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 22, 2025 90
<br />REGULAR MEETING APRIL 22, 2025
<br />The Regular Meeting of the Board of Public Works was convened at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April
<br />22, 2025, by Board President Elizabeth A. Maradik in the 131h Floor Conference Room of the
<br />County -City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana. The meeting was also
<br />streamed live to the public via Microsoft Teams. Board Clerk Theresa Heffner confirmed the
<br />presence of Board President Elizabeth A. Maradik, Vice President Joseph Molnar, and Board
<br />Members Gary Gilot (left at 10:20 a.m.), Murray Miller, Breana Micou (arrived at 10:32 a.m.),
<br />and Board Attorney Michael Schmidt, with a roll call. President Maradik reminded virtual
<br />attendees to mute their microphones and turn off their cameras when not speaking, and to save
<br />their questions and comments for the Privilege of the Floor.
<br />APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
<br />Upon a motion made by VP Molnar, seconded by Mr. Miller and carried by roll call, the minutes
<br />for the Agenda Review Session and Regular Meetings of the Board held on April 3, and April 8,
<br />2025, were approved. Breana Micou was not present to vote on this item.
<br />PUBLIC HEARING — PFAS MINIMIZATION AT NORTH WTP, EDISON WATER
<br />FILTRATION PLAND, AND LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT
<br />On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 the Board of Public Works opened a Public Hearing on the PFAS
<br />Minimization at North Water Treatment Plant, Edison Water Filtration plant, and Lead Service
<br />Line Replacement. The presentation was given by Mark Rackow of Black and Veatch Engineering,
<br />Assistant City Engineer Sarah Barber, and Assistant City Engineer Becca Plantz.
<br />Mark Rackow of Black and Veatch Engineering started the Public Hearing related to the loan
<br />requested from IFA for three (3) projects. He stated that as part of the loan with the state, a public
<br />hearing is required. The purpose of it is for us to go over with the public the project elements of
<br />the three (3) projects and to procure the project funding. The loan application was submitted to the
<br />IFA around the end of March and then they had a few questions and we sent them supplemental
<br />material before April first so that they could make sure that it was on their list and it included these
<br />three (3) projects.
<br />Mark Rachow of Black & Veatch Engineering presented an update on the PFAS Minimization
<br />Project at South Bend's North Water Treatment Plant. He highlighted the new national primary
<br />drinking water regulations issued in April 2024, which include enforceable limits for PFAS—a
<br />group of thousands of synthetic chemicals, with regulatory focus on the most prevalent six (6).
<br />Testing at the North Plant between 2023 and 2024 showed PFAS levels exceeding the new
<br />maximum contaminant limits, prompting the need for treatment upgrades.
<br />Black & Veatch and the City of South Bend conducted a technology evaluation to identify effective
<br />treatment solutions. Among several options, anion exchange was selected for its cost-
<br />effectiveness, feasibility, and efficacy in removing target PFAS compounds specific to the City's
<br />water profile. The project is currently in the bench -scale testing phase, using water samples from
<br />the North Plant (and Pinhook) to determine the most effective resin for full-scale implementation.
<br />The planned design involves installing four (4) anion exchange tanks on a newly constructed
<br />second level within the existing facility, thereby avoiding the need for external infrastructure. The
<br />project budget includes a $12 million loan request from the state, with an additional $3.43 million
<br />to be funded through capital sources. The Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) has been
<br />submitted, and regulatory approvals are anticipated by midsummer. Design and construction will
<br />follow, with the critical goal of achieving compliance before the plant's continued operation
<br />becomes non -viable under the new regulations.
<br />Engineer Plantz discussed the planned improvements for the Edison Water Filtration Plant. The
<br />plant, originally built in 1965 and last overhauled in 1994 with a filter media replacement in 2009,
<br />requires several upgrades due to outdated equipment and infrastructure. These improvements will
<br />ensure Edison can serve as a primary water supply for the central zone while other plants are being
<br />worked on. Notably, the gravity media filters will not be replaced, but instead, acid washing will
<br />be used, which has proven to be a cost-effective solution as seen in the Pinhook project. Additional
<br />upgrades include work on the fluoride system, backwash waste sludge dewatering (pending
<br />calculations related to arsenic levels), and adjustments to groundwater pretreatment, such as
<br />replacing aerators with an inline mixer. Plans also include upgrading the Clearwell, pump room,
<br />and electrical systems, along with improvements to the backwash tank drainage and air handling
<br />systems. Further upgrades include replacing tanks, recoding equipment, and improving the pipe
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