Water Treatment Plant Improvements

The Water Treatment Plant Improvement project was awarded to Ross Construction and currently progressing. The improvements include installation of new carbon and lime feeders (complete), new valves and actuators and repainting the piping gallery (complete) and replacement of the underdrain system in filter #3 and the replacement of all filter media.

Filters #1 and #2 were constructed with the original plant in the 1970’s.
When the filter media in Filter #1 was removed, the underdrain piping was found to be an asbestos cement pipe. The pipe is in good shape and not deteriorated, however due to the material it is the recommendation of staff and engineers to replace the piping.

We have now taken 4 samples of the water and media and sent to a lab to test for asbestos. All sample results are “non-detect”, indicating that no asbestos fibers were found in the water. The Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA has established limits for asbestos in drinking water. The limit for asbestos (fiber > 10 micrometers) is 7 million fibers per liter. However, our samples are indicating there were no fibers detected in our water.

Since filters #1 and #2 were built at the same time, we believe Filter #2 will have the same piping and both underdrain systems will need to be replaced. Ross Construction has contacted a mitigation company and has put together a cost to replace the piping for Filters #1 And #2. The total cost to replace the piping including asbestos removal, disposal and abatement is $193,227.65

Staff will conduct weekly sampling to ensure water samples continue to have a non-detect result. Staff has also contacted MO DNR .  They have indicated we are taking the correct steps.

We anticipate the abatement company to be in next week (Oct 6).

We have asked Ross Construction to proceed and have placed this acknowledgement of the Change Order / expenditure on the agenda for October 7, for the Boards approval.