Utility projects going out for bid
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WEIRTON - Planned projects to expand the capacity of the city's two utility plants are moving forward, with both recently receiving authorization to go out for bid.
"We've received authorization to bid the sewer plant project," Jonathan Carpenter, of Thrasher Engineering, announced during Thursday morning's meeting of the Weirton Sanitary Board.
Carpenter noted advertisements for the bid should be published around Oct. 5, with plans for a pre-bid meeting. The bid opening has been scheduled for 11 a.m., Nov. 16 at the Weirton Municipal Building.
The project would see the capacity of the city's wastewater treatment plant located on Freedom Way increased from its current 4 million gallons per day to 8 million gallons per day at a cost of approximately $24 million.
Following a question from board member Joe Barnabei about any potential cost overruns on the project, Carpenter said there are some grants and other funding sources which could be available in those instances, as well as working with contractors. For a worst-case scenario, he said, the board would have the option to reject all bids and reconfigure the entire project.
"We will have a contingency plan in place," he said. "We do have some avenues."
Advertisements for the water treatment plant project, meanwhile, were issued Sept. 8, with a planned bid opening at 11 a.m., Oct. 26, also at the Weirton Municipal Building.
"We've already received a lot of interest from contractors," Carpenter said during Thursday afternoon's Weirton Area Water Board meeting.
This project would expand the capacity of the water treatment plant on Birch Drive also from its current 4 million gallons per day configuration to 8 million gallons per day.
A pre-bid meeting on the approximately $27 million project has been scheduled for 10 a.m., Sept. 26. Those companies wishing to bid on the project must attend the pre-bid meeting, according to the advertisement.
The two expansion projects have been in the works for more than five years, with city officials citing the need for increased treatment capacity at both plants in response to anticipated economic development opportunities in the area.
In January, officials announced both projects as being fully funded through various combinations of loans, rate increases, state and federal grants, along with a Congressionally Directed Spending package and American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Estimations are for both projects to begin construction at some point in the first quarter of 2024.