Estimates Increase 2.2 Million for Phase I

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board received an updated cost estimate of 11.8 million dollars for the proposed wastewater treatment facility and Phase I of the collections system at their Feb. 18 meeting. In other business, the board appointed Davy Good to the vacant board position and approved extending funding for the high school students to keep testing water samples in Morrell Creek.

The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) requested the updated estimates as it reviews the project for funding. The previous estimate of 9.6 Million was done in April 2014.

Phase I of the collection system includes all commercial property on the east side of Highway 83, between Cedar Lane and Redwood Lane. Also included are all properties between Tamarack Drive and Highway 83 that are north of Redwood Lane and south of Larch Lane, including all properties fronting Larch Lane and Pine Drive, north to Cedar Lane.

In the new estimate, Great West Engineering (GW) explained that several factors added to the increase including inflation, regulatory changes and design changes requested by the board. GW also cited better information after completing individual hookup surveys and other site work.

Large ticket items included:

• Inflation added $398,000. While most of the project inflated at three percent per year, some line items went up 15 percent.

• An office and lab structure was added for $313,000 by the board in hopes of decreasing operating expenses once the system is running.

• The treatment basins were enlarged at the request of the board in order to accommodate future phases of the collection system without having to add to the treatment facility. The change added $200,000.

• Phase I of the collection system needs a lot more pipe than originally estimated. For example, four times as much eight-inch pressure main to the treatment plant is needed adding $412,500.

• Service line restoration (repairing things like driveways and lawns) was previously not included in the estimate and added $486,000.

• One cost that was noted as being not included is that of extending electricity to the treatment facility site. The note indicated that the cost could be “extremely expensive to typical.”

District Manager Amy Rose said they are working through some options with GW by either cutting some of the costs out of the budget or breaking it into different phases.

District Manager Greg Robertson suggested that some of the cost could be further reduced by other grants like the Treasure State Endowment Program that are coming available again.

Another area Robertson felt they could save some money is by using Missoula County resources for some of the construction engineering.

“We have qualified staff to pitch in and I know that the [Missoula County] commissioners want to help you guys along,” said Robertson.

RD is currently reviewing the project and Rose expects it to be a few more weeks before they see the funding package. Rose indicated that she would not be surprised if after a couple of weeks RD would still be saying two weeks.

Board Chairman Mike Boltz questioned the increases in the estimate while fuel prices are so low and asked when managers thought the project could be bid.

“The people that I’m in contact with that do these kinds of things [construction contractors] expect to be doing things a lot cheaper not more expensive,” said Boltz.

Robertson feels that the project could be bid as early as the summer of 2016. He cautioned though that this system contains a lot of proprietary equipment and once a system is selected the price can fluctuate based on those components regardless of fuel prices.

In other business, the district agreed to continue funding for students from Seeley-Swan High School to continue testing the water of Morrell Creek. The board felt that the data would be invaluable in the future once the treatment plant is operating.

When the deal was originally signed a year ago, it was going to be cost neutral because the Missoula County Health Department was going to take over the districts water testing. As of yet, the health department has failed to provide any funding for that work.

The next regular sewer district board meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. March 17 at the Missoula County Satellite Office.