Abbeville begins $8.5M water‑treatment overhaul; contractor mobilizes and city approves first payment

The Abbeville City Council approved a partial payment to Preferred Mechanical LLC as work begins on an approximately $8.5 million overhaul of the city’s water‑treatment plant.

City staff reported the contractor has mobilized, removed the service pumps and begun site work and demolition. An engineer told the council the contract timeline is about 540 calendar days and that much of the work now centers on submittals and equipment approvals. The partial payment approved at the meeting ($129,437.50) covers mobilization and early site work.

Funding and local exposure: staff said the project is funded largely through a revolving loan fund and the Delta Regional Authority; the city expects to cover roughly $100,000 out of pocket during the work, an amount staff said is expected to be reimbursed via the loan. Officials emphasized that the city’s share will be charged to water‑sector funding (not the general fund).

Expected outcomes and process: staff described the project as a substantial overhaul that will replace filter media and rework pumps to deliver more reliable service and improved water quality. Council was told some quality changes will be visible to customers as the project proceeds. Project management items discussed included submittal processing, FAA/agency approvals where applicable, and routine mobilization tasks.

What’s next: staff will continue to report project progress to council, monitor submittals and return with updates on schedule and costs. The first key follow‑ups are completing the submittal approvals and confirming equipment mobilization timelines.