Algood Trying To Keep Costs Low For Green Mountain Water Project

Algood is trying to find ways to keep costs low on the Green Mountain Water Project.

City Administrator Keith Morrison said one solution is bidding out the project with other sewer and water projects simultaneously. Morrison said the goal is to have bids in and approved in the next three to four months.

“I think the biggest challenge is just trying to put it all with other projects that already were facing things that we’re trying to overcome,” Morrison said. “And get all the easements ready. Of course we’re working with USDA Rural Development so there’s always a few extra steps, a little extra paperwork to do to make sure it’s approved and ready to go to bid.”

Morrison said the city is trying to keep costs under $350,000, the original estimate was for $270,000. Morrison said an easement for a pumping station needs to be secured before the project can go to bid.

“We plan on bidding this project in combination with two other projects,” Morrison said. “We’ve got an ongoing sewer project that includes a new sewer station and an extension of sewer out on the Old Walton Road area. It also included a main waterline upgrade in the downtown district to tie the system together.”

Morrison said the estimate is that the Green Mountain Water Project will take 12 to 18 months to complete. He said this project will have multiple components.

“Once the bids are awarded then we’re ready to move forward and we’ll start breaking ground on the project,” Morrison said. “It will be up to contractor kind of on which order they go in because there’s going to be about four components to the project. Three of those are going to be water phases and one sewer phase. So they may do some of that simultaneously.”

Previously, Putnam County committed to putting $150,000 towards this project. Morrison said that has not changed despite the cost estimates rising, but said Algood will talk to the county about the monetary commitment when Algood has the final cost numbers.