By JEFFERSON WEAVER

The City of Whiteville may have to ask for more bids on a portion of the proposed renovation of the sewage treatment plant.

Leo Green of Green Engineering reviewed a laundry list of water, sewer and drainage issues at Tuesday’s meeting of the council.

Green told the board a total of nine “serious” bids have been received, with virtually none from local contractors. The closest, he said, was from Fair Bluff.

The city is facing a complete revamp of the sewage plant, including new tanks, a new lab, and treatment facilities.

Town officials have been at work on the project for four years. Previous estimates on the project pegged the cost at $6.3 million.

The town has already spent $600,000 of the project budget on planning and design.

Councilman Howard Jones wondered if there would be major increases in the project.

“The estimates from two years ago aren’t going to be much good now,” he said.

Green warned the council construction costs have risen drastically, and the town may be facing a higher bill for the plant.

“In the past 18 months, there have been astronomical increases in steel, concrete and fuel costs,” he said. “Labor hasn’t gone up very much, but everything else has.”

While most of the funding will be available from grants and loans, Green cautiously suggested the town consider adding a $2 fee to every water and sewer bill. He also suggested the town could cut some parts of the project.
“With 2,700 customers, you produce a million dollars toward the project,” he said. “If the previous estimates go over, this might be an option.”

Council members did not comment on the option.

Bids are scheduled to be opened Friday at 2 p.m. at the city hall. Commissioners will meet with Green at a later date to discuss re-bidding the project.

In an unrelated matter, the plans are completed for the College and Thompson streets drainage project.

Green said to simplify the project, a 48-inch drain line will be moved to provide a straighter path to an area that is already unsuitable for development. Negotiations are expected to begin shortly on rights-of-way, and Green suggested the town “go ahead and ask for bids” on the project.

“It won’t cost you any more to ask for bids,” he said, “and then we’ll have a better idea what we’ll need.”

Green said the size of the project has made the planning process a challenge.

“You’re talking about 10 acres to drain,” he said. “That much drainage can get real big real quick.”

In another drainage issue, town officials were invited to meet with a state ecologist and Clean Water Management Trust Fund representative Monday to search for ways to improve the city’s chances at CWMTF grants.

The city was recently turned down for $4.5 million in CWMTF funding for the Calhoun Street drainage project.

Green said two major factors worked against the city. The swamp is not considered an “impaired” waterway by state standards, and the town proposed using just $200,000 of local funds for the project.

“Those worked against your score,” he said. “A higher local contribution could help your chances.”

CWMTF grants are awarded based on a point system.