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Brownsburg approves $7 million in wastewater contract awards for plant, biosolids and lift-station work
Summary
The Town Council approved three separate construction contracts totaling about $7 million to rehabilitate oxidation ditches, replace biosolids equipment and convert dry‑pit lift stations; funding will come from sewer fund savings set aside for capital projects.
The Town of Brownsburg Town Council on July 10 approved three separate bid awards for wastewater system improvements totaling about $7.0 million.
Councilors voted to award: a contract for East Plant oxidation ditches, HVAC and electrical upgrades to Ottenwheeler (listed in the meeting record; the packet also uses a variant spelling) with a base-plus-alternates bid of $2,955,000; a biosolids/belt‑press and tertiary filter automation contract to Ottenweiler (listed in the record) for $1,245,000; and lift‑station dry‑pit conversion work to HIS Contractors for $3,070,881. The council approved each award by voice vote after staff presentation and a motion.
The projects include rehabilitation of oxidation ditches 3 and 4 at the East Plant (equipment installed in 1999), replacement of the East Plant HVAC system and motor control cabinets, full replacement of worn belt‑press components for biosolids handling (originally installed in the mid‑1990s), automation improvements to the tertiary filters, and conversion/rehabilitation of five aging lift stations (four with dry pits installed decades ago and one at Arbuckle Park). Staff said several of the existing mechanical components are past service life and in some cases unsafe, noting rotors and shafts are broken in the oxidation ditches and rollers on the biosolids unit have failed in the spring.
Councilors asked how the projects would be funded. Staff stated the wastewater projects will be paid from sanitary sewer savings funds the town has been setting aside for capital replacement; the speaker described the sewer fund as being in a stronger position than the water fund and said the town has budgeted for many of these projects over several years.
Each contract award was moved and seconded by councilors and approved by voice vote with no recorded roll call. Staff advised the council that some equipment lead times are long and that the replacements were time sensitive.
The approvals follow staff comments that several plant systems are multiple decades old (some equipment installed in 1995–1999 and earlier) and that modernization and automation are expected to reduce maintenance and labor time.
Council members did not request the bids be rebid and accepted staff's recommendation to split the work into separate contracts to improve bidding results.
The council packet and staff presentation included additional project details and estimated schedules; staff said individual project timelines and effective start dates will be provided to council as contracts proceed.
