Staff's recommends motion to approve contract for purchase of a new irrigation pump station at Mountview Cemetery

Mountview Cemetery's current pump station is outdated and requires replacement in order to move forward with plans to automate the cemetery irrigation system.Currently, Mountview utilizes an antiquated quick coupler system, that requires staff to physically rotate 65 sprinkler heads between approximately 700 standpipes. Sprinklers are moved twice a day and account for approximately 8 work hours each day. The pump station is very inefficient and must be monitored continually during the day.

The new pump station would allow staff to begin to replace the old stand pipes with in-ground rotor sprinklers, eliminating the need to move sprinklers. This would also create the added benefit of eliminating the standpipes, in which staff currently have to mow and string trim around. This would make maintaining the cemetery more efficient and reduce the time required to mow and trim. The new pump station would also add efficiency through utilizing a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) system. The electrical savings can be as much as 30% over conventional pumps.

When the new system is in place, the cemetery would also have the ability to water during the evening hours. Currently, staff only has the ability to water during working hours due to the fact the current pump station must be controlled on site. This would allow cemetery users the opportunity to enjoy more of the cemetery during the day. 

Staff is recommending purchasing a Watertronics VFD centrifugal pump station to increase efficiency, decrease wear on the pipe system, energy savings and the ability to expand and modernize the irrigation system at Mountview Cemetery.

City Council may:

• Approve; or,
• Not Approve

Council approved $230k in the FY24 budget and in the CIP to fund pump replacement. This funding originated from the cemetery perpetual care fund in which 35% of all grave sales go to pay for future care and maintenance of the cemetery.

The original estimate for a new pump station was $216k, with another $14k estimated for pump house modifications. Staff worked with pump installer to create an alternate design, with required capabilities, that reduced pump station cost to $186k. Modifications also reduced pump house alterations to an estimated $8k.

Staff is recommending to sole source new pump station from Granite Peak Pump Service, since they are the only distributor/installer of Watertronics systems in the region. Most of the pump stations in the Billings parks system are Watertronics, which allows staff to control of pump stations from one easy to use app on a phone or tablet. It also adds efficiency in training and maintenance as staff are only required to learn and work on one pump station manufactures equipment. The stations utilize like components lowering parts inventories.

Having the distributor/installer located in Billings makes warranty repair work and future maintenance trouble calls more efficient and less costly as it eliminates travel time/expenses from sending a tech from another region.   

Recommend approval of new pump station in Mountview Cemetery, in order to increase efficiency in maintaining the cemetery, and improve the community experience within the cemetery.