By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Delivering clean water to homes and taking it away after it’s used is expensive. Bowling Green is preparing for more than $3 million in repairs to the water treatment plant, waterline improvements, and sewer relining projects.
The Board of Public Utilities heard reports on the repairs Monday evening, and supported moving forward with the next steps for each project.
The largest expense comes with waterline improvements on South College Drive. BG Utilities Director Brian O’Connell explained the existing 6-inch waterline in that area was constructed in the 1950s, and has experienced several breaks in recent years – most likely due to the high bedrock conditions and the age of the pipe.
South College Drive is scheduled for repaving in the next few years, between East Wooster Street and Napoleon Road. The staff has recommended replacing the waterline prior to repaving the street, O’Connell said.
The waterline would be replaced with an 8-inch PVC waterline, as well as new fittings, valves, hydrants and service lines. The project would also ensure the new pipe is placed at a proper depth, with proper bedding and backfill of the trench, O’Connell said.
The goal is to complete the underground work prior to the road being repaved. O’Connell said the city expects to receive a loan from the Ohio EPA or Ohio Water Development Authority to pay for construction costs.
If the project is accepted, the loan funds would be available between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. The 2023 Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Fund budget included $1 million for the project. However, the most recent construction cost estimate is $1.7 million. But O’Connell said the loan funds will match the construction costs.
The Board of Public Utilities voted to approve a resolution to advertise for design, engineering and construction bids for the project, and another resolution to enter a loan agreement.
The next more expensive repair project involves sewers throughout the city that are in poor condition or require regular maintenance – estimated to cost about $860,000. Cameras allow for sewer video inspections to help staff determine the best repair methods for each sewer, O’Connell said.
The staff has identified good candidates for sewer relining repairs. Relining works well, O’Connell said, if the existing pipe size is adequately sized for the service area, the line and grade are good, and the pipe is not egg-shaped. Relining can be used to reduce infiltration, root intrusion, pipe corrosion due to hydrogen sulfide gas, or to provide a structurally stable pipe due to pipe defects.
The following sewers were included in the 2023 Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Fund budget:
- Village Subdivision including the streets of Jefferson, Hamilton, Revere, Standish, Village and Boone – $415,000.
- Country Club Golf Course, City Park and Faye Avenue, traveling from 701 W. Poe Road to Conneaut and Faye avenues – $365,000.
- South College Drive from East Wooster Street to Clough Street – $30,000.
- Birch Street from the west end of Birch to Coleman Avenue – $25,000.
- Keil Court to Conneaut Avenue – $25,000.
The board approved the resolution to proceed with the repairs.
The least expensive of the repairs approved Monday is possibly the most complicated project. In February 2022, the Ohio EPA issued a violation to Bowling Green for three maintenance and repair items at the Water Treatment Plant. Two of the items were addressed relatively quickly by plant staff, O’Connell said.
The final repair to be made involves general concrete repairs to the settling and coagulation basins. In a response letter to the OEPA, the city stated the project would be advertised for bids by Sept. 30, 2022, and the work would be completed by June 30, 2024.
However, the final design documents were delayed until recently with the bid opening held last week. The completion time in the bid documents was for 240 calendar days and the published engineer’s estimate was $430,000. The city is allowed to award a contract up to 10% over the published estimate or $473,000 in this case, O’Connell said.
But the three bids received were all over that amount. The lowest bid came from Ram Construction Services at $598,108. The other two bids were $736,367 and $828,226.
Because the low bid is over 10% of the estimate, the city has two options – rebidding the project with a new estimate, or seeking authorization by ordinance to award the contract to the lowest bidder.
O’Connell said staff has recommended accepting the low bid and awarding the contract to Ram Construction Services since the city would like to avoid further delays, clear the EPA violation as soon as possible, and would likely not get lower bids for the specialized concrete repair work.
There are adequate funds in the budget to cover the additional cost, O’Connell said.
The board approved the request to move forward, and City Council will be asked to expedite the ordinance.
