Cost of town water filter project keeps increasing

By Allison Brophy Champion

Published: July 5, 2008

It looks like the town’s ongoing filter-replacement project at the water treatment plant is going to cost a bit more than expected, perhaps as much as $50,000 more.

That’s because when contractors removed the first of four filters, which haven’t been rehabilitated since the plant opened 13 years ago, they discovered sand and other damage to the supporting structure.

Removal of the sand and replacement of the grout in the one filter structure will cost more than $12,000 in addition to the total project’s contract amount of $359,400.

It is quite possible, as well, that the same problem exists with the other three filters, which would cost the town up to $36,000 more at that rate to vacuum them out.

Dwight Wicks, the town’s director of environmental services, said that was “a high probability” at Monday’s Water and Sewer Committee meeting.

Mayor Pranas Rimeikis, filling in for absent committee members Duke duFrane and Michael Olinger, said the issue would be brought up at Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

He supported approving all the extra funds for the filter project versus spending nearly $70,000 “to look at a lake,” Rimeikis said, referencing the proposed study of Lake Catalpa.

EMH Environmental, a water and sewer system maintenance company based in Maryland, is scheduled to accomplish the filter project over two years.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or .