The Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility Commission heard from Crist Engineers’ Craig Johnson Monday on the company’s engineering and design work related to the construction of a pump station near Taylor Phillips Road.
The commission hired Crist Engineers in March 2017 at a cost of $380,000 to design a pump station between Hazel Street and Taylor Phillips Road and provide construction administration services. Crist is evaluating the system capacity, evaluating the ideal location of a new pump station and looking at operational demands that will be placed on the new station.
Utility general manager Ken Johnson estimates the project to design and build the pump station will cost about $2 million. The existing infrastructure is straining to move wastewater, especially during rainy weather.
Craig Johnson discussed evaluating and determining upgrades to optimize movement of wastewater in existing 24-inch force main equipment. He said the pump stations that are having severe impacts with existing conditions are at Metcalf/Graves, Wal-Mart, Cherry Creek and 52nd Avenue.
“These four pump stations historically have been a little bit of a problem-child,” Craig Johnson, who is not related to Ken Johnson, said. “… These are our initial findings and we are moving to determine a preliminary engineering report.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Crist is doing monitoring of rainfall and flows, monitoring of pressure systems, hydraulic modeling, a preliminary engineering report, a final design, and construction.
Commissioners Lafayette Woods Jr., Lloyd Holcomb Sr., Carolyn Ferguson and Paul Bennett attended the meeting. They did not take a vote related to Crist Engineering.
The utility implemented a rate increase beginning in 2015 and continuing through 2017, generating an additional $1,650,000. This money will pay for capital projects, along with funding improvements at the Boyd Point Treatment Plant. Other money will be used to increase the operations and maintenance expenses for aging equipment dating back to 1888.
Customers will still keep their sewer service without interruption during the rehabilitation projects, Ken Johnson said.
In other news, David Poe, the utility’s technical services/GIS Supervisor, gave an update on other projects.
Duke’s Root Control of Syracuse, New York, removed plant roots from the sewer system. Duke’s Root Control submitted a bid of $18,400 and has finished its project.
CTR Coatings of Knoxville, Tennessee, is going to fix 23 manholes by applying a new epoxy coating to prevent excess water from entering the pipes. CTR Coatings submitted a winning bid of $71,500 and is supposed to start work in early September, Poe said.
Insituform Technologies submitted a bid of $384,000 to beat three other firms on a project involving a cured in place process in which contractors place new lines in dilapidated pipes that are leaking. This is a continuation of routine maintenance and will not disrupt customers.
“They are over 50 percent complete with the project,” Poe said. “They have been here for three weeks now and are working in the rain.”
In financial news, Ken Johnson said the utility took in revenue of $598,150.32 in July and incurred expenses of $474,026.86 in July. The commissioners approved the financial statement.
In recognition news, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies honored the Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility with the Peak Performance Award “in recognition of eight years of complete and consistent National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit compliance.”
The commission will hold its next meeting at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21.
Commissioner Vandora Demery was absent.