County of plant: Boone County
Location of plant: MO Hwy K, just E of Katy Trail Trailhead, McBaine
"The aging McBaine Water Treatment Plant, with equipment nearing the end of its usable life, needs an upgrade.
"The City of Columbia's project to improve the plant is budgeted at about $21.5 million.
"This includes final engineering design from HDR Inc. and about $20 million in construction costs paid through a future bond sale as part of a $43 million bond issue approved by voters in 2018 for capital improvements to the water system.
"Price volatility could impact how a construction bid package is formed. Material costs are starting to come down, however, said Ryan Saffels, HDR associate vice president and project manager.
"The city has tried to put as much forethought into costs as it can, said Shawn Carrico, Columbia Water and Light engineering supervisor.
'"We do hope things continue to come down," he said Monday. "We're finalizing the 90% cost estimate. We can discuss that at a future meeting when we come back for authorization to bid the project, provided we move forward tonight."
"The bulk of the work involves stainless and electrical materials, Carrico added.
"As the city looks at bid alternatives, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe hopes the city will identify further funding availability to provide additional money to cover alternatives or even additional improvements. There are grants for which the city has applied and will learn the outcome in mid-October, Carrico said.
"Even with the price volatility, HDR believes it still will meet the original intent of the project presented to voters, said Trent Stober, HDR vice president and project principal, who also is a Columbia resident.
"The Columbia City Council, following a public hearing Monday night, authorized the city in a 5-1 vote to proceed with finishing out the design plan for improvements and start the Missouri Department of Natural Resources permitting process.
"The design was 90% complete as of Monday.
"First Ward council member Pat Fowler voted in opposition over concerns that even with upgrades, there still likely will be cancer-causing disinfectant byproducts in the city's water system. The DNR permit would close off an opportunity for design strategies to further reduce or eliminate these byproducts.
"Second Ward council member Andrea Waner is on maternity leave and did not vote.
"Fifth Ward council member Matt Pitzer, who voted in favor, wanted clarification on why it took until Monday to hold the public hearing, when the original timeline was to have the project underway in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
"The delay was due to the HDR service agreement and the extra time used to develop the project design since the bond sale has not yet happened, Carrico said, while recognizing there was a delay in getting the engineering contract in place.
"The ideal timeline to put out the construction project for bid after design and DNR permitting is end of year, said Dave Sorrell, Columbia utilities director.
"Construction then would likely start next summer if the ideal timeline occurred." ~ Columbia Tribune, by Charles Dunlap, Aug. 17, 2022