Public Works Department
Mailing Address:
216 East Park St
McCall, ID 83638
Physical Address:
(Utility Billing, Deliveries, and Walk-In Service)
815 N.
Samson Trail
McCall, ID 83638
Telephone: 208-634-5580
Emergency Phone
Valley County Dispatch (208) 382-5160
What We Do
Public Works
The Public Works provides 24-hour per day, 7-day a-week
operations, maintenance and emergency response coverage for City
water, wastewater, transportation, and stormwater drainage
facilities. The Department prides itself on being responsive to the
public as its staff works to implement City goals.
Streets Department
Streets Department employees are the stewards of over 40 miles
of City streets, including snow removal, sanding, street sweeping,
signing and pavement marking, pothole repair, chip sealing, dust
abatement, and shoulder maintenance. The Department also maintains
City stormwater infrastructure, including ditches, culverts, and
storm drainage piping. Department crews often assist McCall Police
Department and McCall Fire District employees in responding to
accidents and other incidents. Crews coordinate their efforts with
the Idaho Department of Transportation and Valley County. They also
assist other City departments, including the McCall Municipal
Airport and the Parks and Recreation Department as needed.
The Department also manages the use of the right-of-way by private
entities, including developers, builders and utility companies.
Staff manages the issuance of right-of-way permits for construction
within the City right-of-way to preserve the public investment in
pavement, ensure best practices are used, and to coordinate between
activities to minimize disruption to the transportation system.
Water Department
The Water Department is responsible for treating and
distributing potable water for the citizens of McCall. This
includes:
- Operation of the City water treatment plant (6 million gallon
per day capacity);
- Operation of two raw water pump stations (Legacy Park and
Davis Beach);
- Reading approximately 2,500 water meters monthly;
- The maintenance and repair of over 35 miles of water mains,
over 300 fire hydrants and numerous service connections.
The City water system is expanding rapidly to provide better service
and to accommodate growth. City crews work with property owners,
builders and developers to resolve service issues and ensure that
new construction complies with City standards.
Wastewater Department
The Wastewater Department operates and maintains the City
wastewater collection system and the wastewater treatment plant, the
“J-Ditch Phase 2” effluent storage facility and the “J-Ditch Phase
1” effluent land application system. We are responsible for 30 miles
of sewer pipe with over 2,100 connections, 850 manholes, thirteen
(13) sewer lift stations, and the wastewater treatment facilities.
As the City is one of the few municipal entities not permitted by
the Federal government to discharge to the waters of the United
States, we deliver our treated effluent to a land application
system, where the effluent is blended with irrigation water (2 parts
ditch water to one part effluent) and applied to almost 2,500 acres
of crop land under contract.
Recent Accomplishments
In FY06 the Department successfully managed one of the busiest years
in City history in terms of construction activity related to
development. Staff reviewed numerous subdivision and building plans
and issued 55 right-of-way permits.
The winter of 2005-2006 saw the heaviest snowfall in recent memory.
Department crews kept the City “open for business,” including snow
removal during a particularly snowy Winter Carnival. During the
spring of 2006 crews helped keep melting snow from inundating the
community, keeping public stormwater drainage functioning and
assisting private property owners with meltwater concerns.
In June the City of McCall received a certificate of achievement
from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for the quality
of our drinking water. The City voluntarily participates in a
regional “optimization” program sponsored by the US Environmental
Protection Agency with the goal of improving water quality beyond
regulatory standards. The turbidity (a measure of water clarity) of
our drinking water met the optimization goal 100 percent of the time
over the last year. McCall is one of only three cities in Idaho to
achieve this level of water quality consistently (100% of the time)
for the last three years.
The 1 million gallon Eastside Storage tank project was completed in
July. McCall now has the ability to store water for peak demand and
fire flow. Previously all water was supplied directly from the
treatment plant via electric pumps.
This year the Water Department installed over 300 new water services
and worked with numerous developers and home builders on extensions
of and connections to the City water system.
In June 2005 the wastewater storage facility effluent water level
was at 44.14 feet. By the end of the irrigation season the
Department successfully delivered all of our effluent to the
irrigators. By Memorial Day weekend 2006 the storage pond effluent
level was at 52.84 feet. We began delivering water to the irrigators
two weeks earlier this year than last and hope to empty the storage
facility by the end of the season.
In May 2006 the Department successfully negotiated a Second Amended
Consent Order with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
The City has operated its treatment facility under a consent order
since the Environmental Protection Agency failed to renew the City
permit to discharge effluent to the North Fork of the Payette River.
The Second Amended Consent Order provides a mechanism for adding
crop land to the land application system and provides a mechanism
for allowing additional connections to the wastewater system.
In May 2006 the Department also successfully completed an emergency
repair to Lift Station Number 7, located on the North Fork of the
Payette River across from the McCall Hatchery. While the repair was
successful and no wastewater was discharged to the River, the
emergency highlighted the need to replace the facility.
This year the Sewer Department monitored the installation of over
200 new sewer services and worked with numerous developers and home
builders on extensions of and connections to the City wastewater
system. The Department also managed the installation of over
$800,000 of improvements to the wastewater collection system
designed to prevent infiltration and inflow into the system.
Working with the City Engineer, the Department has initiated a
comprehensive update of the City Wastewater Treatment Facility Plan.
Department Objectives
In addition to a significant workload of operations, maintenance and
incident response, the Department objectives include:
- Replacing obsolete equipment to increase operator efficiency
and cover more miles of street with the same level of staffing. A
1967 vintage loader and a 1983 vintage grader will be surplused
and replaced with seasonal (5 month) rental of current models for
snow removal;
- Augment street sweeping in the Spring with a flusher truck to
remove road sand earlier and more efficiently;
- Commence a chip sealing program to preserve paved streets so
that they do not deteriorate to a level of service that requires
costly reconstruction;
- Replace city street lights with fixtures that conform to the
new Dark Sky ordinance;
- Complete the McCall Area Transportation Plan;
- Work with LHTAC and ITD to complete the reconstruction of
Boydstun Street;
- Completing the Westside storage tank incorporated into the
Whitetail development;
- Constructing a new 12-inch diameter water line from Sunny Way
up Rio Vista Boulevard to Boydstun Street. This will provide a
complete 12-inch water line loop around the west side of the
community, improving water pressure and flow.
- Construct a pre-chlorination facility at the junction of our
Legacy Park and Davis Beach raw water lines. This will eliminate
the need for Chlorine gas at the two raw water intakes;
- Replace the raw water intake building at Legacy Park;
- Install a backup generator at the Davis Beach raw water
intake;
- Completing the enlargement of Lift Station Number 8 and the
partial replacement of Lift Station Number 7;
- Completing the Wastewater Facility Plan;
- Completing additional infiltration and inflow remediation.
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Streets Department Snow
Camera - New!
Maps
Engineering
Forms
City Code - (Specific Public Works Sections: Please refer to
Title VI: Utility Service; and Title VIII: Public
Ways and Property)
Wastewater Facilities Plan Project
Staff Contacts
Interim Public Works Director
Tim Swanson
(208) 634-3458
Streets Superintendent
Rick Scherette
(208)
634-9303
Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection Superintendent
Levi Brinkley
(208)
634-1011
Water and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent
John Lewinski
(208)
634-1853
Administrative Assistant
Sue DeVere
(208)
634-5580
Utility Billing Specialist
Racquel Thackeray
(208)
634-4803
(208) 634-4170 (fax)
Links
