Council approves $61,000 design contract to upsize sewer lines tied to Bowlby lift station project

The Waupaca Common Council on May 6 approved a design contract with McMahon not to exceed $61,000 to design sanitary sewer improvements associated with the Bowlby Lift Station project.

City Administrator Aaron Johnson told the council that televising of existing infrastructure showed sections of Union Street and Smith Street are undersized and that South Harrison and South Morton streets currently are not sewered; many properties in the unsewered area rely on aging septic systems with an average age Johnson said was about 34 years and at least one system about 50 years old. The design work covers three segments: upsize existing mains on Union and Smith (segments 1 and 2) and plan for sanitary sewer service to the Morton/Harrison area (segment 3).

Ben, representing McMahon, said the $61,000 proposal is intended to make parts of the work shovel‑ready and that the bowlby lift station's higher output may surcharge existing sanitary sewers, making upsizing critical. McMahon and Strand submitted proposals; McMahon's low bid was $61,000 and Strand's $97,500, according to the council packet. The council was told the design assumes gravity feed from Fulton Street; if a lift station is later required (particularly for Morton Street), that would be a separate design and cost and would return to the water & sewer board and council as a change order. The contract passed on a 10-0 vote.