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Engineers present $100M‑plus villagewide sewer plan; council presses for phased approach and more monitoring
Summary
Stantec presented a preliminary engineering report proposing a phased, villagewide wastewater system. The firm recommended a hybrid approach using the existing STEP system and new lift stations; estimated capital costs are highly uncertain and could reach roughly $106–107 million in one worst-case estimate. Councilors urged more groundwater monitoring and targeted septic fixes while staff pursues design and funding steps.
Stantec Engineering presented a Preliminary Engineering Report to the Corrales Village Council laying out alternatives for a potential villagewide wastewater system and recommending a phased approach that retains much of the existing STEP infrastructure while adding new conveyance to improve reliability.
The firm’s technical lead said the study modeled two primary alternatives: (1) keep and expand the current STEP pressurized main and add low-pressure mains, grinder pumps and several lift stations to increase resilience; or (2) replace the STEP main with a conventional gravity sewer on Corrales Road and accept greater immediate construction impacts. Stantec recommended Alternative 1 as the preferred approach because it minimizes traffic and cultural‑resource impacts while allowing phased construction.
Why it matters: Councilors and residents said the village needs options that reduce the risk of groundwater contamination from aging septic systems, but many also warned the price tag — Stantec presented a planning-level worst‑case estimate of about $106–107 million — would be financially disruptive for homeowners and the village.
Stantec emphasized the estimate is early-stage and carries wide uncertainty: “At this level we have a 50 percent upside and a 40 percent downside,” the consultant said, and the study separates public capital from private connection costs. The report also used a planning assumption that 100 percent of properties would ultimately connect for sizing purposes; presenters said actual hookups will depend on legal, funding and policy choices.
Council response and next steps: Council members asked detailed technical and financial questions, noting the study did not yet include survey-level design or a final cost breakdown for private-side hookups. Several councilors urged more water-quality monitoring and targeted, lower-cost interventions — such as requiring or subsidizing septic maintenance, installing filters, or piloting advanced onsite treatment for at-risk lots — while pursuing phased construction where the village gets the most public-health benefit.
On funding, consultants and staff said options include federal grant programs (which can fund private connections under some programs), state revolving funds, and loan programs, but cautioned New Mexico’s anti‑donation rules limit direct public payment of private connection charges except through indigency programs, loans or specific federal grants. The consultants also flagged the need to coordinate with Albuquerque Water Utility for treatment and with state permitting authorities as the project moves into design.
What’s next: Stantec recommended advancing into design for phase one — focused on the village’s southern sector and an Old Church Road bypass to allow maintenance and reduce system downtime — and coordinating a 30–60‑percent design and funding strategy. Council asked staff to return with more monitoring data, a clearer breakdown of private vs public costs, and options for phased implementation and assistance programs.
Representative quote: "Our estimate has a 50 percent upside and a 40 percent downside at this level — take it with a grain of salt first and foremost," a Stantec presenter said when asked about cost uncertainty.
