City awards $800,000 sewer and manhole lining contract; project fully funded by CDBG grant

The Torrington City Council on Aug. 19 approved awarding the FY26 Sewer and Manhole Lining Improvements contract to Insituform Technologies of Chesterfield, Missouri. The bid is $684,747.73 with a 14.41% contingency reserve of $115,252.27, producing a project budget of $800,000.

Director of Public Works Jeff Harkins told the council the work includes lining approximately 14,071 linear feet of 8-inch pipe using cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), 307 lateral reinstatements and 441.63 vertical feet of manhole protective coating and related incidentals. Harkins said the bid opening was held on July 23, 2025, and the contractor was given the option of when to start and 90 calendar days to complete the work; the project must be substantially complete before Nov. 28, 2026.

Harkins said the project is fully funded through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $932,171, and the funding was set up in the FY26 budget under account 529100. Because the bid was favorable, staff said they plan to advertise for a private inspector for the manhole portion of the work and to recover that inspection cost from the CDBG grant.

Harkins described the construction method for the pipes as pulling a resin-saturated tube (a “sock”) between manholes, inflating it and steam-curing it to form a continuous liner typically about a quarter inch thick; he said the cured liner is durable and creates a seamless pipe with no joints. For manholes he said crews will repair areas with exposed rebar using cementitious material and then apply a noncorrosive liner resistant to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) damage. Harkins said interruptions to residents’ sewer service are usually brief — typically a few hours — and that the process avoids digging up streets.

Councilman Victorin moved to award the contract; Councilman Warren seconded. The council approved the award by voice vote.