Ellsworth residents shouldn’t be surprised to see white smoke coming from their sewer system in the months ahead, thanks to the purchase of a smoke blower machine by the City of Ellsworth.

The purchase of the smoke blower machine was approved in an amount not to exceed $2,000 at the Dec. 23 meeting of the Ellsworth City Council.

Joe Travnichek, utilities superintendent, said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommended purchasing the machine, which will allow city crews to find groundwater infiltration and bad plumbing in the sewer infrastructure.

“I think this will be beneficial in the long run,” he said.

Travnichek said the city uses 100,000 gallons of water a day more during the rainy months than it produces. This results in city sewer ponds doing more work than they are designed to do, which results in more wear on the system.

“It isn’t going to be long before we’re dumping $500,000 into that to clean it out,” he said.

Travnichek said if residents see white smoke in their homes during the smoke testing of the sewer lines, it means their homes are not plumbed correctly. He said if everything is correct with their sewer system, however, residents will see no smoke going into their homes because it will be going out the vent stack.

To smoke test a sewer line, city crews will pull a manhole cover, set the smoke machine over the manhole and induce the smoke into the line.

“It pressurizes the system,” Travnichek said.“If there is a crack in the line it will come up through the grass or the street or wherever, or in the gutter or in the alley, wherever it is at.”

He said if the home is not plumbed correctly, sewer gas can get into the home.

“Basically what we’re looking for is any way water can infiltrate a line anywhere in the city,” Travnichek said. “Some of these older houses probably are not going to have the correct plumbing.”

Travnichek said the city’s main goal is to find problems with city infrastructure before they become worse.

Residents who see smoke should call a plumber, he added.

The city plans to post videos of the smoke testing on its Facebook page and also place door hangers on homes to inform residents of the testing.

In other business:

• Rick Sippel of Ellsworth asked what kind of orientation the council has for new council members.

Patti Booher, city clerk, said both new and current council members will receive financial report training. She will also give copies of the city clerk’s manual to them because it contains a lot of useful information.

Patrick Hoffman, city attorney, said he will provide information and updates on the Kansas Open Records and the Kansas Open Meetings Acts during his allotted time at the council meetings.

Booher said the Kansas League of Municipalities offers classes on several city council-related topics on a yearly basis.

“That is available for any council members who want to attend,” she said.

• John Tyson of Lincoln County addressed the council regarding bulk water pricing. He said the pricing went up to $26 a month for the minimum amount of water.

“I hook up my truck and trailer and I come down and get 400 gallons per trip,” Tyson said. “I do that a couple of times a month. Basically, for 800 gallons my rates have gone up 320 percent.”

In Ellsworth, Tyson said he usually purchases a tank of fuel, goes to the grocery store, stops by Gambino’s Pizza for a hamburger and maybe stops by Orscheln or Home Lumber to shop.

“Besides the water price I spend about $200 a trip,” Tyson said. “That’s one of the big reasons I come to Ellsworth.”

Tyson noted with the raise in the bulk water rates he doesn’t come to Ellsworth anymore.

“And people wonder why folks go to Salina or somewhere to do shopping instead of coming to Ellsworth,” he said. “And by raising the rates, you’ve eliminated one of the reasons I have to come here.”

Tyson said raising the bulk water rates also has an effect upon other merchants in Ellsworth.

“The one comment I have for you, sir, is the past couple of years we’ve actually had rate increases for our customers in town as well,” Mayor Mark Kennedy said.“It’s kind of a fairness issue too. If that is the rate they are paying, even for individuals outside of the city limits, it will be more on a level playing field. So we have to consider that as well.”

Information provided by Booher shows the rate charged by the city for the past decade for bulk water has been $.01 per hundred gallons. The sale of bulk water does not have an established rate and hasn’t been adjusted when rates increased for city customers. As a result, city customers were paying more than a bulk water customer. For example, the cost of 2,000 gallons of water from a one-anda-half-inch meter costs residential customers $30.43, commercial customers, $32.96, bulk water (the old plan), $20, and bulk water (the new plan), $32.96.

Booher notes in her information the new rate includes all purchases during the month per customer. Each purchase is not billed separately. If a customer fills a tank five times in one month, the gallons are added together. She feels this is the correct way to charge for bulk water purchases.

• Cereal malt beverage license renewals for 2020 were approved for Ampride, American Legion Post 174, Coach and Four Bowling Lanes, the National Drovers Hall of Fame Association, PH of Ellsworth LLC, doing business as Pizza Hut; Casey’s Retail Company, doing business as Casey’s General Store No. 2562; Kwik Shop Inc, doing business as Kwik Shop No. 763; Clasen Inc., doing business as Gene’s Heartland Foods; and the City of Ellsworth, doing business as the Ellsworth Municipal Golf Course.

• Approval was given to the added language in the purchasing policy for department heads. It was noted department heads are authorized for purchases up to $1,000. The department head review the submitted invoices for accuracy and notes the fund and amount for payment. The new language states this authorization does not apply to continuing purchases such as wholesale water, chemicals, crack seal blocks, etc., used in the daily operations of the city for which a $5,000 limit is imposed.

• Following up on a five minute public hearing on amending the city’s 2019 budget conducted immediately before the council meeting, the council approved amending the city’s 2019 budget as presented.

Booher noted the council is amending the capital improvement fund, the municipal equipment fund and the 2017 temporary note provisions because the city went over its budget authority.

“We spent more money than we thought we would in 2019,” she said.

• Approval was given to enter into a contract with Don Base to conduct inspections for the Tenant Based Rental Assistance housing for two years. The city will reimburse Base $1,250 in quarterly payments of $312.50 for up to 25 one unit inspections, including mileage, completed during each contract year. The city will also reimburse Base $55 for each inspection exceeding the contracted 25 inspections during each contract year. Base shall be responsible for any tuition, mileage or transportation and associated expenses for any ongoing certification required.

• Approval was given to a $3,068 bid from City Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning to install a heater in the city gym.

• Approval was given to purchase two Hercules tires for the city backhoe from the Ellsworth Coop Service Station for $980.

• Approval was given to an agreement with Chester DeWerff to be a consultant for the