Portland asks state for $9.2 million to finish treatment-plant upgrades, lift stations and stormwater work

Portland city officials asked the appropriations subcommittee for $9.2 million in combined state support: $4.1 million to complete a previously designed wastewater treatment plant enhancement, $1.5 million to replace three aging lift stations, and $3.6 million for sewer-line/stormwater assets identified as critical in the city’s asset management plan. Nut graf: City manager Andrew Jamczyk told the committee bids came back higher than expected and the city could not complete shovel‑ready work without state assistance; Portland called the wastewater work its first priority to avoid higher rate increases and protect downstream water trails and recreation. Jamczyk and Representative Johnson said bids for the treatment plant work exceeded local financial capacity after designs were complete. The city described the three lift stations as aging (built in 1973, 1993 and 2006) and said the 2006 station supports an MDOT rest area. Officials estimated the treatment-plant scope could be completed within a year and the lift‑station work within two years, subject to updated engineering and bidding. Committee members asked about priorities and phasing; officials said the treatment-plant work is top priority, followed by lift stations and sewer-line replacement, and that anticipated administrative/engineering costs would be limited to standard engineering updates for final construction. Ending: The hearing produced no committee vote; Portland asked the subcommittee to consider the funding request to avoid steep local rate increases and to protect regional recreational and economic assets.