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Jonesborough board awards $37.4 million bid for new water treatment plant; USDA approval requested
Summary
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to award the base bid for a new Jonesborough water treatment plant to Judy Construction Company for $37,438,375, subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture approval. Officials said the project will increase capacity and improve system resilience for the town and surrounding Washington County areas.
Jonesborough’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to award the construction contract for a new water treatment plant to Judy Construction Company on a base bid of $37,438,375, subject to approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Mayor Bullock told the board the existing plant—originally built in 1978 and upgraded over time—has reached the end of its useful life. “It's time to build a new water plant,” Bullock said, adding the new facility will increase pumping capacity and provide long-term resilience for Jonesborough and the portions of Washington County the town serves.
The board and staff described the project as the largest capital undertaking before the town. Mayor Bullock said the new plant will initially be sized to pump 8 million gallons per day with room to expand to 12 million gallons, and noted the town currently pumps about 3.2 million gallons through a plant designed for 4 million. “This water system's bigger than us,” Bullock said, noting Jonesborough serves roughly 75% of unincorporated Washington County.
Town staff said three competitive bids were received; the low bid from Judy Construction Company was $37,438,375, with higher bids up to about $46 million. Officials attributed the higher-than-expected cost to recent inflation in large mechanicals, piping and infrastructure materials and increased national infrastructure spending. Glenn (Town Administrator) told the board the bid award is contingent on USDA Rural Development approval; the board approved both the bid award and a companion USDA resolution.
Board members emphasized long-term stewardship and system reliability. Alderman Causey said she appreciated the town staff’s planning and diligence and the focus on long-term benefit. The board approved the bid and the USDA resolution by roll call vote.
The board was told a companion transmission-line project will be considered later; staff said the intake and much of the site infrastructure are already sized to support the larger plant, a feature saved from prior planning.
What the board approved: the bid award to Judy Construction Company for the base bid of $37,438,375, and a resolution to submit the project for USDA Rural Development approval. Both actions passed in separate roll-call votes.
Next steps: staff will proceed with USDA-required steps and coordinate contract finalization if and when USDA approval is received. The board did not set a construction start date in the meeting minutes.
Speakers cited in this article: Mayor Bill Bullock; Glenn (Town Administrator); Alderman Causey.
Ending: The board framed the project as a long-term investment in water reliability for Jonesborough and a portion of Washington County, and approved the bid and USDA resolution to advance the project to the next stage.
