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Amherst committee approves sending $385,000 engineering appropriation for wastewater project to council
Summary
The finance committee voted to send to council an emergency appropriation to fund engineering and financing work for a wastewater "no feasible alternative" improvement project, asking $385,000 to prepare a roughly $2.0–$2.2 million construction package.
The Amherst Finance Committee voted unanimously to send Ordinance 82601 to the full council with an emergency declaration, approving $385,000 to finish engineering and financing work for the City of Amherst Water Pollution Control Center "no feasible alternative improvement" project.
Mayor (speaking for the administration) said the appropriation funds steps required under the city’s EPA wastewater permit and will "help prevent the overflows and infiltration of wastewater into the creeks—untreated sewage—to leave the facility when we have these big rain events." He told the committee the study examined five alternatives and the administration selected option 5 to be engineered, permitted and bid. "This amount of money is for this group to then continue with that option to engineer it, plan it, get all the permits," the mayor said.
The mayor described $385,000 as the cost to get the project "ready to build and finance and underway" and said construction is estimated at roughly $2.0–$2.2 million. He noted the city recently paid off a prior $8 million loan and that federal loan programs through the EPA may be available to help finance the work. A council member noted the report was "extremely comprehensive" and cited recent sewer lining work; administration said about $780,000 was spent on sewer lining and inflow/infiltration work last year.
Committee members asked whether the study accounted for recent and planned development; the mayor said the work was completed at the end of last year and included future development scenarios and a large 10‑year, 2‑hour storm event. When asked about the useful life of the improvements, administration said longevity cannot be guaranteed because regulations and conditions change, but the work is intended to be long-term and to outlast the loan.
The motion to send the ordinance to council passed 6–0. Next steps: if council approves the appropriation and subsequent procurement steps, administration will proceed with engineering, permitting and soliciting bids.
