Russellville wastewater project moving forward

The Russellville Board of Aldermen has approved Jefferson City engineering company Bartlett & West to begin seeking bids for its wastewater improvement project.

The city's current three-cell lagoon does not treat ammonia up to Missouri Department of Natural Resources standards and needs to be replaced. A new treatment plant will be built next to the lagoon.

Bartlett & West PE Gary Davis presented Russellville board members with a proposed schedule for the project during their May 16 meeting.

"The schedule that I've laid out here gets them completed a year ahead of DNR requirement," Davis said.

The company plans to put the project out for bid for 44 days beginning today.

In 2014, Russellville residents approved a $2.4 million bond issue for the treatment plant. The city has also acquired a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development low-interest direct loan for $1.35 million, a USDA-RD $830,000 grant and a Community Development Block grant for $500,000.

A pre-bid conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 27 followed by a bid opening at 2 p.m. July 11. Both public meetings will be held at Bartlett & West's office, 1719 Southridge Drive, Suite 100, in Jefferson City.

The schedule suggests a 251-day contract with the hired construction company beginning Oct. 14. Davis said he doesn't see any reason the project wouldn't be on schedule. He proposed construction would be complete June 20, 2020.

"This schedule works with everything you've agreed with with DNR," Davis said. "I think it's good. It works for me, and hopefully it works for contractors."

The city must complete construction by July 17, 2021, because of an abatement order with DNR.