Litchfield Council Approves $230k in Emergency Water Plant Repairs Following System Failure

Litchfield City Council Meeting | Dec. 4, 2025

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council authorized over $230,000 in emergency expenditures to repair the city’s water treatment plant following a “catastrophic failure” of the chemical feed system. While elected officials expressed concern over the rising costs, administrators assured the board that reserves remain healthy and a permanent solution is near.

Litchfield Water Treatment Plant Key Points:

• Emergency Authorization: The council waived competitive bidding to approve $230,466.56 for immediate repairs and equipment.

• System Failure: The spending addresses a failure of the chemical feed system, necessitating a return to using monochloramines and ammonia.

• Cumulative Costs: Recent emergency spending at the plant has reached approximately $525,000 to $750,000.

• Healthy Reserves: Despite the costs, the city’s water fund retains over $2 million in reserves.

The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, voted to waive competitive bidding procedures and authorize $230,466.56 in emergency expenditures to address critical failures at the Litchfield Water Treatment Plant.

City Administrator Breann Vazquez described the situation as a “catastrophic failure of the chemical feed system.” The approved funds will cover services from four different vendors, including $191,689.72 for SCADA computer upgrades from Durkin and nearly $26,000 for chlorine and ammonia equipment from Brooks and Associates.

Vazquez reported that the repairs would allow the plant to transition back to using monochloramines and ammonia, which is expected to resolve taste and odor issues experienced by residents.

“We have got all of that contracted now to replace the lines and redo the systems, so that should help with any unusual taste or odor that anyone is experiencing,” Vazquez said.

During the discussion, Alderperson Josh Hughes expressed concern regarding the rapid accumulation of costs.

“If I was a member of the public, that might alarm me to see three-quarters of a million dollars spent within slightly just over a month,” Hughes said. He asked if the city was approaching a point where the budget would take a significant hit or if bonding would be required.

Vazquez acknowledged the high costs, noting that emergency expenditures recently totaled roughly $525,000. However, she assured the council that the city’s finances are stable, with approximately $20 million in total reserves and over $2 million specifically in the water fund.

“We do have a healthy fund balance. We’re not at the point currently where we’re looking at needing to bond anything out,” Vazquez said. She added that the repairs represent the “light at the end of the tunnel” for the facility’s immediate issues.

Mayor Jacob Fleming noted that the city had already been conducting a rate study before the failure occurred. He stated that water and underground infrastructure would be “front and center” during upcoming budget reviews.

“In the big scheme of things, three-quarters of a million is not an enormous thing, but in the aspect of the city budget… that is nearly a million dollars and that is not a small thing for us, either,” Fleming said.

The motion to approve the expenditures passed unanimously among the members present.