Work under way on Scott City's delayed water plant

Scott City's pursuit of a reliable water treatment system approved by voters in a 2000 bond issue has been dogged by lengthy delays and a $750,000 cost miscalculation. The two shallow wells that will double the city's treatment capacity were dug last August, and ground was broken on the plant in January. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to be online by January 2004 or earlier.

Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson currently is pouring the plant's foundation at 1716 Rear East Outer Road, behind NES Rentals. In addition, two water tanks are being repaired are at City Park and at the Southeast Missouri Port Authority. To prepare for the plant, the city already has run a large line from the water plant site almost to City Park to keep from over-pressurizing the system.

The city has had a history of water problems due primarily to the five deep wells that currently provide its water. Boil-water orders have become common during the summer because of the murkiness of the water brought up by the strained system.

In 2000, a study by the city's engineer, Waters Engineering of Sikeston, Mo., recommended building a new water treatment plant at the city's industrial park in the northern part of town just east of Interstate 55. The plan called for digging only two shallow wells of 100 to 150 feet to tap into a water-rich aquifer Cape Girardeau also taps. In addition, the firm recommended rehabilitating two of the city's three water tanks.

Not enough bidders

Waters Engineering estimated the total cost at $2.2 million, and voters approved a bond issue for that amount. The bond issue passed on the promise that water rates would not be raised. Scott City residents expected to be drinking water from the system by this summer.

Then the plan sprang some leaks. The required approval from the state Department of Natural Resources, a process that usually requires 90 days, took a year. City officials and the city engineer do not understand why.

When bids on the treatment plant project finally were received last October, there were only four. The low bids totaled $750,000 more than the engineer's estimate.

Rich Cochran, a senior engineer for Waters Engineering, said one reason the misjudgment occurred was that many more construction companies were expected to bid. By the time the delayed project was put out to bid, many companies were already busy, he said. Cochran said his company recently received 15 bids on a different project.

The city negotiated with Penzel Construction, low bidder on the treatment plant, and the two low bidders on the water tanks to reduce the construction costs, but its bond is still $650,000 short.

City administrator Ron Eskew said the city council decided to keep its promise of not raising water rates despite the shortfall. Scott City will borrow the rest of the money through a 20-year lend-lease loan, using the city's new water treatment plant as collateral.

1,000 gallons a minute

Revenue from water use will repay the loan. Eskew said some savings also will be realized through reduced costs in electricity when the old wells are phased out. The oldest well in the city system was dug in 1933.

The city's current wells have a capacity of about 550 gallons per minute. The new wells will be able to produce about 1,000 gallons of treated water per minute.

The new plant will be almost fully automated, says Jack Rasnic, the city's director of public works. Most monitoring will be done by computer. The five current wells spread around the city must be manually checked for production and water quality daily.

Cochran said Scott City will have only the second water treatment plant of its type in the state. The plant's design is considered advanced because it has no moving parts requiring motors. The energy from the water coming from the plant's aerator into a clarifier provides the agitation needed to allow particles to settle out.

The water in the new wells has two aesthetic problems the water in the deep wells doesn't: iron and manganese, both of which produce dark stains. They will be removed in the treatment process. The water also will be treated with chlorine, and fluoride will be added.

The plant will help make the city more attractive to industries wanting to locate in Scott City, Eskew said. More than 30 businesses are in the city's industrial park, including the heavy water user Pavestone. Cochran said the city has the flexibility at the site to build a sister water treatment plant with the same capacity if future demand for water warrants.

Although occasional breaks in the city's aging water lines may occur, Cochran said the new plant should solve most of the city's water problems. "Once this plant is online, those problems associated with mud and silt in the system should end.

"It has been a long project for the city," Cochran said. "But when it's done they should have a water source capable of providing adequate clean drinking water."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182