A recently awarded Economic Development Assistance grant has the city in position to proceed with several water and sewer projects.

With the grant funds available, city staff sought proposals from engineering firms to provide engineering services for design, construction, administration, surveying, environmental studies and obtaining permits for the projects. Eight companies submitted proposals. Staff recommended Rivers & Associates be awarded the contract for the project.

“Rivers has far more experience with our existing system and is already the engineer of record for the 16″ water line project which will be a part of the construction portion of this grant project,” reads a city document. “As EDA requires that all five projects funded for construction be let as one contract, it will be much easier for staff to deal with one engineering firm and have one engineering firm overseeing all projects in reference for submittals, pay request and reimbursement requests.”

The negotiated contract amount won’t exceed the amount of grant approved funding for these types of services for this project, which total $290,506.

The projects included the following:

• A new standby generator and automatic transfer switch at the existing Cherry Run Pump Station.

• A new standby generator and automatic transfer switch at the existing wastewater treatment plant.

• Replacement of the existing sewer lift station near the intersection of Water and Bonner streets with a new flood-proofed sewer lift station capable of 300 GPM of flow.

• Conversion of the existing gas chlorine feed system at the existing water treatment plant to liquid chlorine feed system, including a new building to house the chemical feed system.

The City Council, during its meeting Monday night, was expected to consider awarding the contract to Rivers & Associates.