Water and Sewer Department
DEPARTMENT FUNCTION
The
Water Supply and Sewer Fund is responsible for providing an abundant, high
quality supply of potable water to its customers and for the collection and treatment
of the wastewater generated by these customers.
The Department maintains the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants, the
water distribution and sanitary sewer collection mains, and all other
facilities necessary for the transmission and treatment of water and
wastewater. The system procures funds
for development, extension and improvement of facilities required to carry out
its duties.
Full
time staff are employed at the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants. The
Department of Public Services provides supplemental staff for maintenance of
the water distribution and wastewater collection mains as well as for
construction and the utility service connections. Some construction or reconstruction projects
for collection, distribution or treatment systems are of a size or nature which
necessitates contracting these services to outside individuals or firms.
The
wastewater collection and treatment systems and the water treatment and
distribution systems are regulated by the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality. Revenues for all water and
wastewater system improvements and operating costs are generated by water and
wastewater sales and through special fees such as connection or tap fees,
system improvement charges, and special assessments.
DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goal 1:
To provide a high quality potable
water supply in adequate quantity to the citizens and businesses in the
Objectives:
1.
Insure monitoring and treatment is performed in
compliance with the requirements of the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality.
2.
Provide qualified staff trained in current water
treatment techniques. Provide the staff
with the tools and supplies necessary to adequately perform their work.
3.
Monitor water sources and treatment methods to
insure the treatment process is operating in a manner resulting in optimal
water quality.
4.
Monitor and adjust treatment methods to provide capacity
for maximum operating demand anticipated from the customers of the water system.
5.
Maintain the water treatment plant, equipment and
processes in proper operating condition with the redundancy necessary to insure
water quality is not compromised by anticipated system failures or maintenance.
Goal 2:
To provide potable water at consistent
and adequate pressures necessary to conduct normal business and personal
practices.
Objectives:
1.
Maintain and upgrade the water distribution system
as required to provide water at a pressure and quantity sufficient to meet the
needs of users within the distribution area serviced by the City's water
treatment plant.
2.
Monitor the distribution system to facilitate timely
repair of any deficient components within the system.
3.
Coordinate expansion and improvement of the
distribution system to supply new customers with an adequate source of potable
water.
4.
Review, compile and update system records to
evaluate the need for system improvement or maintenance.
Goal 3:
Promote
the City's water treatment and distribution system to encourage new customers
and to ensure continued demand for water from existing customers.
Objectives:
1.
Maintain the highest quality potable water supply
possible.
2.
Provide consistently courteous and fair interaction
between personnel representing the City and customers purchasing water and
wastewater services.
3.
Continuously search for methods for improving the
water treatment system, the water distribution system, the water and sewer
billing systems and all other areas associated with the water treatment and
distribution systems, and staff - customer interaction.
Goal 4:
To
provide the most competent, knowledgeable and courteous staff possible.
Objectives:
1. To provide a safe environment conducive
to positive work habits.
2. To promote staff training and continued
personnel development.
3.
To hire and promote qualified and motivated
individuals, and to provide a working environment which motivates personal and
professional development and improvement.
4. Make additional effort to
inform customers during emergency utility operations (water main breaks, etc.),
and to let them know what conditions to expect following repairs.
Goal 5:
To provide
sufficient water and wastewater collection, distribution and treatment capacity
to accommodate existing and future demand.
Objectives:
1.
To monitor growth related to existing and potential
development within the
2.
To plan for growth in the demand for water treatment
and distribution to service the
3.
To plan for growth in the demand for wastewater
collection and treatment to service the Hastings Area.
4. To accommodate growth in the treatment,
collection and distribution facilities through sound financial planning and
management.
Goal 6:
To maintain the wastewater collection system
in a manner which assures continuous wastewater removal from sensitive
buildings and facilities to the fullest extent practical.
Objectives:
1.
Monitor, repair and clean the sanitary sewer
collection lines as necessary to reasonably minimize the possibility of
blockage or restriction.
2.
Maintain the equipment and staff required for timely
response to notifications of impaired wastewater flow and provide the necessary
remedial activity.
3.
Upgrade the collection system and structures as
required to provide sufficient capacity for anticipated peak flows.