In mid-March the council approved a $387,000 contract with Mortenson Construction of Minneaplis to serve as construction manager/general contractor for the project, which could cost as much as $73 million by initial estimates.
The upgrade would involve replacing about 10 miles of deteriorating water transmission pipes and construction of a new water treatment system, at an estimated cost of $58 million. It’s also possible the city would build a hydropower sytem at a cost of another $15 million, and in turn sell the power to utilities to defray some costs.
Mortenson potentially could also be hired to construct the system at fee of 5.45% of project costs.
Although the water project has support of a city council majority, some council members and business leaders have argued that an upgrade relying on wells drawing groundwater in the Tumalo Creek-Bridge Creek watershed would be less expensive and more environmentally sensitive.
Even with the city's recent contract decision, there could be more hurdles for the surface water piping system. An environmental assessment is pending from the US Forest Service and there could be possible pressure for an independent cost analysis of alternatives that could include wells.
(click below for more background in an earlier post)
Even with the city's recent contract decision, there could be more hurdles for the surface water piping system. An environmental assessment is pending from the US Forest Service and there could be possible pressure for an independent cost analysis of alternatives that could include wells.
(click below for more background in an earlier post)
