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Council backs Moore Engineering's value-engineered wastewater alternative and approves related engineering task order
Summary
Moore Engineering presented a value-engineered alternative to Mobridge's wastewater rehab, estimating ~$7 million vs. a prior $8.2 million recommendation; council approved task order #2 for $299,762 and gave direction to pursue Alternative 4 with state review and funding plans.
Moore Engineering presented an amended plan for the Mobridge wastewater treatment-plant rehabilitation and the City Council approved engineering work to advance a value-engineered design.
Jared Clubundi of Moore Engineering reviewed the project history and said the plant (a Class 3 facility dating to 1959) had previously been recommended for an $8.2 million overhaul. The firm proposed an alternative (Alternative 4) that combines a new joint aeration selector basin, a single new final clarifier with rehabilitation of an existing clarifier, and mechanical sludge dewatering to replace current land application. Clubundi said the firm's engineer's opinion of probable cost for the alternative is about $7,000,000, roughly $1.2 million less than the earlier recommendation.
"So, this is only possible because of building a joint facility... we can now take advantage of reusing and rehabilitating other clarifier capacity," Clubundi told the council.
Funding and approvals: Clubundi said about $1 million in CDBG funding is available and the CWSRF program is expected to fund the remainder; the alternative still requires approval from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources (DANR). The council approved task order #2 for engineering ($299,762) and then voted to proceed with Alternative 4 pending state concurrence and securing construction financing.
Why it matters: The change aims to achieve long-term regulatory flexibility (readiness for potential future ammonia or nitrogen limits) while reducing the city's construction cost estimate. Moore emphasized the design offers redundancy and a 30-year service life for critical plant elements.
Council action: A motion to proceed with Alternative 4 as presented by Moore Engineering passed on a roll call; staff will submit the alternative to DANR for review and, if approved, proceed with final design and construction procurement.
