Council approves $884,000 contract to upgrade Mill River lift station

The Coeur d'Alene City Council on March 17 unanimously approved a $884,000 construction contract with Big Sky ID Corp. to upgrade the Mill River wastewater lift station.

Mike Anderson, wastewater plant manager, said the work is part of the 2025–26 capital-improvement program and is intended to increase capacity and improve maintainability of a lift station built in the early 2000s. “This contract is $884,000 as you mentioned and Big Sky was our lowest bidder,” Anderson said, explaining that the work will re-route feeder lines, install a larger wet manhole and allow bypassing the lift station for future maintenance.

Anderson told the council the total project cost, including engineering, is about $1.2 million. He said the city budgeted roughly $900,000 this fiscal year and expects to use prior-year savings (about $315,000) plus a localized surcharge balance (a little over $400,000) assessed to properties served by the lift station to cover the remainder. “We’ll be coming forward in August with a request to amend this year’s budget,” Anderson said.

A council member moved to award the contract; after a second, the council took a roll-call vote. The vote was recorded as unanimous: Evans yes; Sheckler yes; Miller yes; Gabriel yes; English yes; Wood yes.

The project is intended to reduce the risk of mechanical failure by providing larger pumps and improved access for maintenance, city staff said. No construction start date was specified; Anderson said engineers and permitting work have been completed and construction procurement is underway.