BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — With work underway on the city’s wastewater treatment plant and collection system, engineers for Starke have prepared a plan for the city’s drinking water facilities.
Woodward and Curran’s Justin deMello summarized the plan for city commissioners July 11, projecting the cost of all three included projects at $14.3 million.
The projects in the plan could be eligible for funding through the State Revolving Fund, which provides partially forgiven loans for such utility infrastructure projects.
“The drinking water facilities plan is a culmination over the last nine months where essentially Woodward and Curran, at the city’s request, came in and evaluated the city’s drinking water system, your treatment plant, your distribution systems, your meters, storage tanks, not only for its current population, but for its future growth as well,” deMello said.
The study examined the city’s needs and evaluated several project alternatives. In addition to considering the capital and ongoing operational costs, engineers looked at the long-term impact on ratepayers. According to deMello, no known rate increase was required at this time.
Engineers considered water treatment plant upgrades for the first project, looking at both rehabilitation of the existing plant and total replacement. In the end, they decided on partial replacement. The existing facility is in pretty good shape, deMello said, but some equipment is beyond its useful life.
The second project addresses the distribution system and upgrades to stabilize system pressure. This project calls for a new elevated water storage tank, water mains and upgrades to the existing distribution system. Sites along the bypass have been identified as possible locations for the new tank, which would help balance system pressure and support future growth, deMello said.
The final project would convert the city to an advanced meter infrastructure system to more efficiently and accurately measure water usage, something City Manager Drew Mullins has said could boost revenue without raising rates. Usage is tracked electronically versus manually by a meter reader. The system also helps identify water main breaks.
Construction costs for all three projects are projected at nearly $12.3 million, preliminary engineering costs are more than $1.1 million plus $559,000 during construction, and legal costs are $335,500.
The commission approved applying for SRF funding for these projects. If approved, project design would begin in October. By October 2024, the city would begin advertising for construction bids, with the goal of awarding contracts in February 2025. A notice to proceed would be issued in April 2025, and construction would be complete by October 2026, three years later.
The city would have to begin repaying any unforgiven portion of the loan in July 2027. Water and sewer revenue has been pledged to cover the cost.
In other business:
—the commission approved a resolution seeking additional SRF loan funds from DEP to complete the first phase of the sewer collection system upgrades. The city was originally awarded $5.358 million, which included a $4 million grant and $1.358 million loan. The project was bid three times, and the low bid still came in over budget at more than $6.929 million.
Woodward and Curran submitted an application, and an additional $1.571 million loan was secured to complete the project.
