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Westerly council approves $699,000 in change orders for waterline, transfer station projects
Summary
Council approved two change orders — $370,000 to replace 1,200 feet of deteriorating cast-iron waterline on Weekapaug/Weequipaug Road and $329,000 to extend water service and add fire-suppression-capable lines to the transfer station — funded from department accounts and the transfer station budget.
The Westerly Town Council on Oct. 6 approved two contract change orders to address urgent and planned water infrastructure needs: a $370,000 emergency replacement of cast-iron waterline and a $329,000 extension to provide domestic water and future fire suppression at the transfer station.
Town staff described the Weekapaug/Weequipaug Road work as an emergency repair after three breaks (one location failed twice) revealed about 1,200 linear feet of brittle cast-iron main buried in saltwater conditions. The water department identified the additional footage after test holes and recommended replacing the full 1,200 feet with PVC under an addendum to an existing contract (the per-foot pricing was extended from the Bowling Lane contract). The work and an included overlay for the limited disrupted pavement edge are budgeted in the water department’s pipeline rehabilitation account.
Town Manager (speaking as the project lead) explained the transfer-station project involves replacing a contaminated well and extending domestic water lines up to the transfer station and scale house, adding yard hydrants and capacity for future interior sprinklers if needed. Manager and staff said the $329,000 cost is within the transfer station account and represented a substantially lower cost than initial estimates.
Councilors asked procedural and budget questions about where funds would come from and whether additional paving overlays would be required. The town manager said repaving of a full lane would be an additional cost (estimated separately) but that the scope of the change orders covers only the work area and minor overlay.
Motions to approve both change orders were made, seconded and approved by voice vote.
The council recorded the approvals as routine infrastructure maintenance and emergency repair actions; staff said the projects will proceed under existing contract pricing and will be reported back to council as they progress.
