The county manager told the Currituck commissioners Jan. 5 that authorization for an early-works package would let the design-builder start construction of high-rate infiltration basins for the Moyock Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The manager said the basins are part of the treatment system and that their construction is estimated to be complete in October, subject to how quickly the county executes the agreement. The meeting record lists a not-to-exceed authorization figure of $8,500,000 for the early-works package; staff said they did not yet have a final price and would 'work backwards' from the not-to-exceed amount.

Staff told the board a mid-February funding decision from an external source will be important to deciding which treatment alternative to pursue for the full project. Commissioners also discussed that, if the basins are completed as proposed, the early works could provide roughly 100,000 gallons per day of capacity by October — an estimate staff said could help local businesses previously constrained by available wastewater capacity.

The board added the early-works authorization to the agenda earlier in the meeting and discussed it under new business; the transcript records discussion and a staff briefing but does not record a final, on-the-record vote to accept or execute the $8.5 million authorization during this session.