Litchfield Secures Savings on Water Main Project, Approves Emergency Plant Repairs

Litchfield City Council Meeting | May 7, 2026

City sees a $31,500 contract decrease and waives bidding for a $15,000 plant repair. The City Council authorized a rare deductive change order for the State Street Water Main Project and quickly moved to fix drainage issues at the water treatment plant.

Water Infrastructure Key Points:

• A change order reduced the Petersburg Plumbing & Excavating contract by $31,500.87, bringing the new total to $842,239.45.

• The savings, returned to TIF 1 funds, resulted from adjusting costs associated with the final main line pipe construction.

• The council also waived competitive bidding to authorize $15,000 in emergency repairs at the Litchfield Water Treatment Plant.

• Dan Heise Plumbing & Heating will install a new sump pump and pit to prevent flooding in the raw water building.

The City of Litchfield on Thursday, May 7, 2026, experienced a rare municipal victory: a major infrastructure project coming in under budget.

The City Council unanimously approved a change order for the State Street Water Main Project, decreasing the contract with Springfield-based Petersburg Plumbing & Excavating by $31,500.87.

“I just want to note that was a decrease we’re approving,” Mayor Jacob Fleming said. “Those are rare, so I’m really excited to be approving this.”

According to the project documents, the original contract sat at $873,740.32. The decrease reflects cost adjustments associated with the final main line pipe construction and the abandonment of the old line, bringing the final contract amount to $842,239.45. The resulting savings will be retained in the city’s TIF 1 fund.

During the discussion, city staff noted that crews are currently undertaking the tedious process of tying in service lines to 14 local businesses. Once those connections are complete, the contractor is expected to lay fresh asphalt over the rock-filled trenches within the next month, restoring the aesthetic and functional quality of the street.

In a separate action, the council approved a resolution waiving customary competitive bidding procedures to authorize emergency expenditures at the Litchfield Water Treatment Plant.

The raw water building, which houses the pumps connecting Lake Lou Yaeger to the treatment facility, has suffered from significant water accumulation in its bottom area during heavy rains. Ground seepage and gutter runoff have threatened the sample tap used to acquire Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) samples, as well as the chemical feed point for Permanganate.

To address the catastrophic failure risk, the city accepted a $12,310 proposal from Dan Heise Plumbing & Heating to excavate and install a new sump pump and line to the lagoon. The council authorized a total expenditure not to exceed $15,000, which will be funded through unbudgeted enterprise reserve funds. Alderperson Bob Garcia motioned for both water-related items, which passed via unanimous roll call votes.