Commission to consider $1.98 million wastewater treatment plant project - The Electric

The Great Falls Civic Center. Photo by Jenn Rowell, The Electric

During their Nov. 6 meeting, City Commissioners will consider awarding a $1,987,800 contract for wastewater treatment plant improvements.

The commission typically meets the first and third Tuesday of every month, but under city rules, commission meetings that conflict with the general election of federal public officials shall be held on Wednesday immediately following the date of the election.

Staff is recommending that commissioners award the contract to Sletten Construction for the westside pump station improvements and bar screen replacement project at the plant.

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At the westside pump station, raw wastewater flows from the city into a concrete channel, through two sluice gates and through two automated bar screens, which remove large debris from the raw wastewater and deposit it in a dumpster for disposal, according to the public works staff report.

The project will replace the existing 1972 non-operational bar screen with a new one that includes a new washer/compactor that will wash, compact and deposit the screened material in a container, increasing the dryness of the material and reducing the volume for waste disposal, according to public works.

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The project also includes bypass pumping, repairing and coating the concrete channels, replacing two sluice gates, and other associated HVAC, electrical, process, and structural upgrades, according to public works.

Commissioners approved a professional services agreement in June 2022 with Morrison-Maierle Engineering to design, facilitate bidding and provide construction phase services for the project.

The project was advertised three times in the local newspaper and Morrison-Maierle reached out to five qualified contractors in the area prior to bidding, posted on the city website and the Great Falls Builder’s Exchange.

The city received one bid for the project, from Sletted.

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Sletten’s base bid for the project was $1,960,500 and $27,300 for two additives, for a total bid of $1,987,800.

The public works engineering division will provide project oversight and coordination, assistance in construction administration, and serve as a point of contact for city correspondence. Morrison-Maierle will provide construction phase services.

The project was selected under the public works capital improvements program and budgeted in the sanitary sewer treatment enterprise fund, according to city staff. The sewer enterprise fund is funded with user fees for the utility.