North WPCA hears progress reports on settling tank, pump station and pipe rehabilitation projects

The North Water Pollution Control Authority on Sept. 15 received a series of staff updates on ongoing infrastructure projects, including progress toward a 30% design for final settling tanks, test pits for the Barbara Drive sanitary sewer separation, construction activity at the 4‑Point pump station tied to the Walk Bridge project and continued work on the Insituform sewer lining contract. The reports matter because the projects together affect collection-system capacity, planned construction impacts on local streets and long‑term maintenance costs for the WPCA’s sewer network. Staff reported schedules or near-term milestones for each project and noted coordination with outside contractors and grant paperwork where relevant. Staff said Arcadis is advancing the final settling tank project toward a 30% design, which will shape estimated costs and permit needs for next design phases. For the Barbara Drive sanitary sewer separation and drainage project, staff said test pits will be performed to finalize design work and a technical correction to a project grant is being finalized; staff indicated bids are on track for late fall. Construction has begun at the 4‑Point pump station, staff reported, with the joint‑venture contractor for the Walk Bridge project preparing bypass work and initial electrical transitions; the contractor expects to place a bypass in the coming weeks to allow major work to proceed. Staff said WPCA personnel are coordinating closely with the Walk Bridge team on the transition. The Beacon Street sanitary sewer replacement has an approved traffic plan for road closures and detour routes; staff said sanitary bypass setup is planned for early October and trenching/installation is expected to begin in late October, beginning at Daskins and Easton Avenue, pending standard submittal approvals. The Insituform trenchless lining contract is still active, with staff allowing a change order to extend the contract completion date into October to accommodate specially fabricated liners and several unanticipated point repairs. Staff said crews completed point repairs using MRR (major repair and replacement) resources and expect Insituform to return in October to complete outstanding lining, manhole rehabilitation and grounding work. Staff provided a rough aggregate figure for the lining program to date — “about $6,000,000 in total” — and estimated roughly 70,000 linear feet of pipe lined across diameters from 8 to 24 inches; staff said a detailed cost and scope spreadsheet will be provided to the board at the next meeting. The board asked for and was told that more precise counts for manhole rehab and number of laterals impacted will be supplied at the next update. Board members and staff also noted that Brown and Caldwell’s construction administration and resident engineering task order was extended to cover added work associated with the Insituform contract through a task order included in the board packet. Less urgent items reported for informational purposes included a Department of Public Works open house scheduled for Sept. 27 and routine mentions that standard permitting and grant‑related paperwork are being finalized for several projects. Staff emphasized schedules are contingent on material lead times and typical construction risks; no new formal motions were recorded on these project updates during the meeting. For readers: the WPCA is the local sewer authority responsible for collection and treatment infrastructure; items discussed will affect nearby streets and residents where construction is planned. The WPCA plans to return with more detailed cost and scope breakdowns at a subsequent meeting.