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City staff say wastewater treatment plant upgrade is on track; ARPA funds and CMAR delivery used
Summary
City staff updated the commission on the wastewater treatment plant retrofit, reporting substantial concrete and excavation progress, ARPA and EDA funding, and use of the construction-manager-at-risk delivery for a new aerobic granular sludge system.
YANKTON, S.D. — City staff reported substantial progress on Yankton’s wastewater treatment plant upgrade at the Aug. 11 commission meeting, describing construction milestones, funding sources and programmatic reasons for selecting an aerobic granular sludge (AGS) process delivered through a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) contract.
The update explained why AGS was selected, the funding structure, the CMAR delivery and where the project stands on schedule.
Why AGS and CMAR City wastewater staff said an aerobic granular sludge process was chosen because it provides a smaller footprint and simultaneous nitrification/denitrification and enhanced biological phosphorus removal in the same tanks — functions that previously required separate anoxic/anaerobic tanks. Staff noted AGS technology has longer operational use in Europe and is newer to U.S. implementations. The CMAR delivery method was chosen to involve contractor input early in design, manage equipment lead times and reduce scheduling risk on a retrofit that must remain operational during construction.
Funding and schedule Staff reported a complex funding package including ARPA funds and an earlier EDA project; the ARPA award notification timeline required a rapid application and the city was notified of the ARPA award on April 13. Staff stated about $18.6 million in grant funds have been secured for the wider package of wastewater projects. The ARPA funding has a 2026 obligation deadline; staff said the state has allowed project sequencing and front-loading of ARPA-eligible expenses so ARPA funds will be utilized within the required timeframe.
Construction progress and risks Public works staff described on-site progress: roughly 1,840 cubic yards of concrete poured for new tanks, 247 tons of rebar installed, and deep excavation (grid excavation to 22 feet) at inlet works. Two of three digester lids have been removed, sandblasted and recoated; one heavy lid measured about 1,187,000 pounds and required a large crane. Staff said AGS equipment delivery is expected in late fall and that a harsh winter could affect installation timing. Other identified risks include substantial process piping excavations (up to 25 feet deep) that must maintain operations and weather-related schedule impacts.
Redundancy and resiliency Staff reminded commissioners earlier EDA-funded work added dual-power feeds to critical buildings and a 1-million-gallon equalization basin to manage high flows. Those steps were cited as deliberate redundancy measures intended to maintain operations during high-flow events and to reduce single-point failures.
Next steps and timeline Staff said the project’s formal completion date is 2027, with a majority of construction and installations expected to occur in summer–fall 2026. The team reported they remain cautiously optimistic about budget and schedule, but noted portions of the project may need to be deferred or rebid if cost pressures grow.
Ending Commissioners thanked staff for the proactive management on a technically complex retrofit and encouraged continued communication on schedule and budget.
