Trending
PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg Utility Board approved a bid of $349,505 for a new camera truck to inspect utility lines Tuesday.
Board members were surprised that the three bids were all within $400 of each other, with the two not selected separated by just $3.34.
The low bid was from Florida-based CUES, a company from which the utility has purchased equipment before, PUB Manager Eric Bennett said.
The utility has two camera trucks, one more than 10 years old, the other over 20. They plan to keep both for now, using the oldest as a backup. But because repairs "start becoming very expensive at 10 to 13 years," it was time to get a new one, Bennett said.
In addition to inspecting water and sewer lines for damage and obstructions, the equipment has been used to view the city's storm sewer lines.
In other business, Bennett told board members the berm at the relocated Parkersburg Police Department shooting range, which keeps bullets from traveling beyond the area, has been completed but lighting, electrical and concrete work remain to be done.
The utility is moving the range to make room for a granular-activated carbon filtration system to remove "forever chemicals" from the water supply.
Comptroller Erin Hall said the utility closed out the 2023-24 fiscal year on June 30 with revenues at 103.4% of projections and expenses at 91.9% of projections.