Monroe City, Louisiana Greenlights $46M Water Plant Expansion

Max Foote Construction Co. won the contract following a city council meeting on Tuesday.

Source : Flickr

June 9, 2021

Author : Patty Rodriguez

The company exceeds a 17 percent participation rate from disadvantaged business enterprises, according to city engineer Kim Golden. The city council also awarded a "$1.09 million alternate project in addition to the base bid,” the Ouachita Citizen reports.

The current water treatment plant was built in 1967, and is still functioning, able to handle 20 million gallons of water per day. However, the plant is at 80 percent capacity and will be renovated.

However, a new treatment plant, chemical storage facility, and offices will be constructed as part of the expansion. The new treatment plant will produce an additional 8 million gallons of water per day.

City Council Chairman Doug Harvey said that “Anything we do to renovate and expand our water system not only benefits our citizens but also any water customers on the east side of the [Ouachita] river where other utilities are buying our water in bulk,” and called the project “transformational.”

The city of Monroe sells water east of the Ouachita River to the Greater Ouachita Water Co. and Town & Country Service Co.

Specs for the water plant were crafted by Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company Inc., who will be retained throughout the project.

The project has been in the works since at least 2018, when the City Council increased rates for water and sewer systems.

Photo via Flickr.

Category : Investment in Infrastructure Local Government Public Works

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