Budget Commission Awards Wastewater Treatment Contract To CH2M Hill

The Woonsocket Budget Commission has awarded a $36.6 million contract for upgrading the city's wastewater treatment facility off Cumberland Hill Road to Colorado based design, build and management contractor CH2M Hill.

The Commission, including Dina DuTremble, Bill Sequino, Mayor Leo Fontaine, and Council President John Ward, approved the contract during their Wednesday 4:30 p.m meeting at City Hall. Peder Schaefer was not present.

New standards by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) required Woonsocket to upgrade the plant by March of 2014, removing phosphorous and nitrates from water discharged into the Blackstone River. The deadline has since been extended to March 2017. The requirements are reportedly some of the most stringent in the country.

The city will pay for the upgrades with sewer user fee revenue bonds to pay a 20-year State Revolving Fund loan for the project. The first two bonds, for a total of $30 million, were approved by the City Council in July and October of 2011. Another bond for $6.6 million still needs to be approved.

With CH2M Hill, sewer rate increases will be less than the rates enacted by the City Council Feb. 15 in their capacity as the city's Waste Water Authority.

For FY2013, the quarterly rate for a typical one unit residence is $86.07, which will not change. The next four years will now be less than the enacted rate. 

For FY2014, the rate will be revised from $95.53 to $83.96, a $7.63 increase. The subsequent years are as follows:

FY2015: From $100.31 to $92.35, a $8.40 increase.

FY2016: From $105.33 to $101.59, a $9.24 increase.

FY2017: From $115.86 to$106.67, a $5.08 increase.

FY2019: $112.00

FY2021: $106.40

CH2M will take over operations at the plant within 90 days, according to a release from the Woonsocket Department of Public Works. The deadline to submit plans for the upgrade is Nov. 1, 2012, with final design due by November 2013. Construction will begin March 2014 and will be completed January 2017.

An additional benefit to the upgrade will be two changes expected to reduce odors from the plant. CH2M will install a carbon system for odor control, and will replace the chemical used in the liquid waste treatment from hydrated lime to ferric chloride. "Eliminating the addition of hydrated lime improves the odors produced due to the elevated pH of the primary effluent," according to the release.