City awards $610,700 engineering contract for wastewater plant improvements

The Little Falls City Council on March 2 approved a not-to-exceed $610,700 contract for construction-administration services related to phase two of wastewater-treatment facility improvements.

Greg, a city staff project lead, told the council the design work is finished and the city expects to solicit construction bids within about a month. "This particular contract is for the construction administration… and that is in the amount of $610,700," he said. He described the engineering contract as a not-to-exceed amount and said it could come in lower if less work is required.

Staff estimated the total project cost at roughly $5.5 million and said construction would likely be financed with low-interest loans through the Public Facilities Authority (PFA). "We would get low-interest loans for that," Greg said when asked how the city would pay for construction.

Council members asked for clarification about timing and costs. Greg said the construction portion may be roughly $4.3 million of the total and that the city would front funds and be reimbursed by PFA; early construction bids were expected within about a month. Council then moved and adopted the contract award following the staff presentation.

The city emphasized the project addresses operational vulnerabilities at the plant, including redundant dewatering equipment to avoid single-point failures. Greg noted the plant currently relies on one centrifuge installed in 2004 and described efforts to choose lower-energy alternatives such as screw presses.

The contract approval authorizes staff to proceed with the engineering services; the council did not adopt construction contracts at this meeting. Further action will follow once construction bids are opened and evaluated.