The Pulaski County Commissioners approved funds for a continuous water heating system at the Pulaski County Justice Center.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston explained that he attempted to get quotes for an Emergency Water Heater Repair or replacement and for a continuous water heating system. Johnson said he got quotes for the equipment that is just like what the justice center has now, but found that the continuous water heating system is less expensive, more efficient and will better fit the needs at the jail.
“The continuous hot water system has a faster, higher recovery rate and it has a 200 gallon storage tank. It’s cheaper than the same type of replacement. It’s 97 percent efficient. The efficiency of the ones that are over there is 85 percent. We’re not only paying less for the system it’s a newer, more efficient system. We’ll actually be paying less over the course of time as well,” explained Johnston.
Commission President Larry Brady stressed that this issue needs to be taken care of rather quickly.
“Over the weekend, family members of the inmates were calling and complaining to the State of Indiana that we’re not providing adequate hot water. If we didn’t have it fixed within 72 hours, then our inmates would have had to be moved from the premises,” said Brady.
Employees from Benchmark, the company that offered a quote for the continuous water heating system, repaired the current equipment to alleviate further immediate issues.
This water heating system was part of the equipment replacement sealed bid project for next year, but the commissioners agreed that this needed to be done sooner than later. The other items in that project, including heating and cooling, will still be part of the sealed bid process.
The commissioners approved the bid from Benchmark in the amount of $65,790 and the funds will be coming out of the Sheriff’s CAGIT fund.
