Newton authorizes engineering contracts for wastewater plant rehab and sewer main extension

Newton City Council on Nov. 1 approved two engineering contracts aimed at upgrading the city’s wastewater infrastructure: a design-phase authorization for the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) rehabilitation with The Wooten Company and a separate contract to design a wastewater collection main extension to serve an unserved area along East NC 10 Highway.

Public Works and Utilities Director Dusty Wentz said the city received an Intent to Fund letter from the state for the WWTP project and that staff had negotiated an engineering-services agreement with The Wooten Company. Wentz reported the negotiated contract amount as $1,671,600 and noted Wooten agreed to honor the contract; staff materials ask Council to approve design-phase authorization amounting to $1,800,000. Wentz warned the design and permitting phase will take at least two years and that the full project will take multiple years to complete.

Separately, the city selected McGill Associates, PA to design and administer bidding and construction for the planned 12-inch wastewater collection main extension at the intersection of East NC 10 Highway and NC 16 Highway. The engineering contract for that project is $251,000; Wentz said $68,500 of the contract is funded from a capital purchase deferred to next year and the balance will be paid from federal ARPA funds.

Council members emphasized the importance of proceeding with design to secure available grants and to avoid delays that could complicate funding or extend construction schedules. Both motions passed unanimously.

Next steps: design and permitting work will continue pursuant to the contracts; staff will pursue required state permits and prepare construction bids when permitted. The city also budgeted a capital project line item given the multi-year timeline; the full contract documents and the state Intent to Fund letter are on file in the City Clerk’s office.