New pumps, new trucks approved by La Plata council

Nov 10, 2023

The La Plata town council met on Aug. 21 to discuss new pumps for the Mary Ball pump station and new vehicles for the operations department.

New pumps and trucks were on the agenda when the La Plata Town Council met on Aug. 22.

The council voted unanimously to improve the purchase of two Flygt sewage pumps and additional electrical components using American Rescue Plan Act funds to further expand the operations at the Mary Ball pump station.

According to Robert Stahl, operations director, the sewage plant installation was in response to continued development in northern La Plata including the construction of an apartment complex next to the Aldi on Rosewick Road scheduled to open in April 2024.

“For those apartments to become operational, we need to upgrade the current Mary Ball pump station with new pumps and new electric,” Stahl said during the meeting.

According to a copy of a memo sent by Stahl to La Plata Mayor Jeannine James and the council obtained by Southern Maryland News, the upgrades will allow the flow rate at the Mary Ball station to increase to a maximum capacity of 625 gallons per minute.

The purchase of new pumps, which was quoted at about $44,276 a piece, is the second set of purchases for the Mary Ball pump station.

Last August, the town purchased pumps for the sewage station which have been held in reserve in preparation for the plant’s eventual expansion.

Also approved at the Aug. 21 meeting was the purchase of two new Ford Maverick pickup trucks in order to replace two aging vehicles in the fleet.

According to a memo on the purchase memo, the smaller hybrid pickups were purchased to replace vehicles for a department of public works inspector and a vehicle for a senior operator at the La Plata Waste Water Treatment Plant.

The total cost of the trucks is $54,663.64, which will be paid for using vehicle reserve funds.

Stahl said the purchase of smaller trucks will allow heavy duty trucks currently being used by staff to go back into the service fleet.

The was met with praise by Evalyne Bryant-Ward, councilwoman.

“I appreciate the fact that you thought to use the smaller vehicles,” Bryant-Ward said.

The purchase comes as the town of La Plata is looking to get rid of more of its aging vehicles as maintenance becomes difficult.

Stahl said during the meeting there were quite a few vehicles in the fleet that date back to the early 2000s currently being used as spares that are in need of being replaced.

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