Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wastewater Treatment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves amendment to wastewater design contract as city readies for Dairy LLC load
Summary
Seward approved a roughly $1.12 million amendment to the design contract for wastewater treatment facility improvements to accommodate higher flows and pretreatment needs associated with an incoming industrial dairy and to pursue favorable state revolving fund financing.
The Seward City Council approved an amendment to the city’s engineering agreement for wastewater treatment facility improvements after staff said the arrival of Dairy LLC and changed load estimates require revising the project design.
Colin Markison, project manager at SEH, told the council the city must account for Dairy LLC’s flows and may need to implement interim pretreatment if the dairy begins operations before the new plant is online. “We have the luxury now of being able to go back and address those flows and loads from dairy,” Markison said. He said the amendment is an hourly contract and that unused hours would not be billed if tasks such as bidding are later removed.
Staff said the project is in review with state regulators (NDE) and the city is working to secure State Revolving Fund financing that could offer a 1.4% interest rate if loan conditions are met by July. Markison said design changes could increase estimated construction costs from about $30 million to roughly $40–41 million and that much of the plant — other than the influent pumping, administration building and disinfection — will require revision to handle new load assumptions.
City staff described specific items in the amendment: additional meetings and coordination with the dairy operator, dairy site design items to include a flow‑metering and sampling structure at the dairy’s sewer connection, preliminary and final design revisions to expand capacity, exploration of alternate treatment technologies that could increase capacity within a smaller footprint, and limited assistance on SRF financing. The consultant also recommended considering a CMAR (construction manager at risk) delivery method to help sequencing and keep the existing plant operating during construction.
Council members asked about ranges in the dairy’s reported loadings and surcharges; staff said the city was negotiating a target loading that could avoid surcharge levels and that pretreatment at the dairy was a key factor. City staff noted current measured average plant flow figures and potential future increases. After discussion, the council moved and approved the amendment; staff said the amendment provides flexibility to refine the design as Dairy LLC’s pretreatment and schedule become clearer.
The vote to approve the amendment was recorded in favor; city staff will continue coordination with SEH, NDE and Dairy LLC on site pretreatment, interim treatment options and financing details.
