The Bradford City Water Authority is hoping for federal stimulus funding, and has Bankson Engineers working on cost estimates for improvements to the water treatment plant and distribution system in anticipation.
Executive Director Steve Disney shared a report after Wednesday’s authority meeting.
Plant operators have been visiting other water treatment facilities to gain additional perspective into the various treatment options available and their individual performance factors. A May 19 meeting is scheduled to further formulate the capital project, Disney explained.
Early work on the lead abatement project is underway.
Disney said, “Chivers Construction is continuing their door-to-door evaluation activities on the listing of our known lead service sites to verify service line composition on the property owner side, coming into the homes, and also on any outstanding unknowns that still need verified.”
He added that Chivers crews continue “road cores and soft dig excavations that go down to the corporation stop at the main line to verify service line composition on the Authority side between the main line and curb stop.”
Lead service line replacement begins on May 2. The authority was awarded an $8.52 million PENNVEST grant for the project.
The Marilla Brook crossing project is getting closer to fruition. The GP-5 Stream Crossing permit has been issued, the erosion and sedimentation control plan has been approved, the Department of Environmental Protection water supply permit has been issued and contracts were executed on April 11. Three of the four rights-of-way have been secured. When the last one has been received, a Notice to Proceed can be issued to Bob Cummins Construction Co.
An update was presented on the Gilbert Raw Water Pump Station. Cummins Construction has narrowed the punch list of significant open items to that of correcting the slope of the floor to allow proper drainage.
A pump that was having issues has been replaced. Site restoration will need to be completed as weather permits. A request for change order Number 1 in the amount of $12,070.00 was submitted based on the relocation of the building due to the location of buried water mains and vaults. Bankson Engineers is awaiting additional information justifying the Cummins Construction change order.
Filter Number 3 in the treatment plant has been placed back into service. “We have received the Two-Year Maintenance Bond and Consent of Surety to Final Payment. A final payment request from Swanson’s Excavation & Fabrication in the amount of $49,992.41 has been submitted and recommended for payment by Bankson Engineers. Payment was approved by the Authority,” Disney said.
In an update on delinquencies, the board learned that municipal liens have been placed on Oyo Hotel at 153 Main St. in the amount of $22,000 for water, sewer and stormwater delinquent accounts.
In his report, Disney said bridges at both Fairview Heights and Harrisburg Run are slated to be replaced.
“BCWA water mains are clear of the Fairview Heights construction zone, but the Harrisburg Run bridge has some conflicts with BCWA water mains, which are being investigated to determine if relocation of those mains will be required. No cost sharing funding is available for these projects for utility relocations,” he said.
He told the authority that the McKean County Housing Authority had received a request from the EADS Group, consultant and designer, to waive two water tapping fees for their renovation project at South Center and Brookline Court.
“They will be erecting two new small structures, one a 20×20 maintenance shed and also a small 1200 sf Community Center which will each require ¾” service taps,” Disney said. “By reason of the unique and special circumstances related to extensive infrastructure improvements that the EADS Group has planned to be undertaken on behalf of the Authority, the Authority waived the two tap fees.”
