Hot Springs board approves $3.18 million filter purchase and $510,000 outfall structure at Davidson Drive wastewater plant

The Hot Springs Board of Directors on Oct. 20 approved two ordinances authorizing contracts with Max Foot Construction Company LLC for work at the Davidson Drive Wastewater Treatment Plant, including installation of two tertiary filters and construction of a new discharge structure for the plant outfall.

By a unanimous roll-call vote the board adopted Ordinance O-25-42, waiving competitive bidding under Arkansas Code Annotated —14-47-138 and authorizing a contract not to exceed $3,180,513 for the supply, offload and installation of two tertiary filters. City staff said the equipment vendor has a 22-week delivery and that each filter will weigh about 300,000 pounds in operation; shipping weight was described as roughly 65,000 pounds per filter with dimensions of about 35 feet long, 12 feet wide and 15 feet high. Staff said the work includes foundations, a retaining wall, 54-inch inlet and outlet piping and valves, and crane services to set the filters in place.

The board also adopted Ordinance O-25-43, authorizing a not-to-exceed $510,000 contract with Max Foot Construction for a new concrete discharge structure where the plant's 54-inch outfall connects to Lake Catherine. Staff described the structure as approximately 27 feet wide, 37 feet long and 17 feet deep; work coordinates with KJAX Construction's outfall pipe installation and the timing of a planned drawdown of Lake Catherine.

Funding and timeline: Both contracts will be paid from the board-approved 2025 wastewater bond fund. Todd Peller, the staff member who presented the items, told the board he had sent a purchase order to the equipment vendor and expected delivery in about 22 weeks; in-board discussion referenced a not-later-than delivery window of July 15, 2026. Peller said KJAX is already executing the outfall pipe work and that Max Foot will time the discharge-structure work to permit final connection during the lake drawdown.

Why it matters: The filters and new discharge structure are part of the wastewater plant's upgrades and are intended to improve plant operations and ensure proper discharge to Lake Catherine. The contracts involve large equipment, heavy concrete foundations and specialized lifting and placement services, prompting the board to waive competitive bidding under state procurement rules to keep the project schedule aligned with delivery and lake-drawdown timing.

Board action: Ordinance O-25-42 (filters) was moved by Director Webb and seconded; Ordinance O-25-43 (discharge structure) was moved and seconded subsequently. Both ordinances passed on unanimous votes. Board members asked about delivery timing and construction sequencing; staff confirmed the work will be staged to align with the lake drawdown and the contractor's delivery window.

Next steps: Staff will manage contract execution, schedule concrete and crane work, and report back on construction milestones. The city will reimburse project costs from the wastewater bond fund and complete required inspections and connections to the outfall when lake conditions permit.