The Eatonton-Putnam Water and Sewer Authority board last week aggressively went after the coordination and contracting problems for $6.1 million in projects aimed at fire protection and water pressure levels.
Two-thirds of the money will come directly or indirectly through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The direct funding is a $3 million grant funneled through the governor’s office, which is administering the state’s share of the program. The indirect part will come through the Eatonton ($400,000) and Putnam County ($600,000) shares of the same federal program. EPWSA is responsible for the remaining $2 million over the mandated four-year completion period.
EPWSA maintains a reserve of $2 million, but rather than commit that immediately, board member Judd Doster argued that a line of credit from a bank would allow more flexibility in committing funds as needed. The board agreed.
Another wave of federal funding for infrastructure improvements – billed as the Build Back Better program – is in the making, but the administrative rules have not yet been set.
In the meantime, ARPA projects must be contracted by the end of 2024 and completed by the end of 2026. Another rule holds that the projects listed in grant proposals may not be changed.
Among the grants awarded to smaller entities, EPWSA was toward the front of the line because it had plans and a proposal ready to submit
“Look at what can be accomplished by working together,” said Putnam Commissioner Bill Sharp, who represents the commission on the EPWSA board.
While commitments for funding may be in order, the practical matters of obtaining contracts – and having contracts fulfilled according to the planned schedule – have raised their ugly heads. As explained by ESG engineer Trey Gavin, the competition for contractors has raised prices above estimates, sometimes doubly so.
“Does this mean that for $6 million we would be getting $2 million worth of work?” asked Doster, only somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
The availability of steel for suppliers is already delaying deliveries as much as a year from the order time. Even the war in Ukraine is having an effect, although the problem started before the war did. (Russia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of nickel, which is used in steel production.)
“You can’t get a pipe price until you are ready to let the contract,” said Doster. “That’s just how they do it these days.”
One implication of the possible/probable rise in costs had the board talking about a new rate study, although no decision was made.
The project list (and original cost estimates) includes:
Mapping and modeling, $150,000
Removal and replacement of 48 hydrants, about 10 percent of the system’s 500 or so hydrants, $1.1 million
Upgrading a 4-inch water main on Alice Walker Drive to a 6-inch line (aimed at water pressure leveling and improving fire protection), $388,000
Inserting 30-60 new valves to isolate smaller areas and lessen the impact of line breakages, $662,000
Rehabilitating the hospital’s (sewage) lift station, $307,000
Constructing four new lines connecting existing lines in a technique called “looping.” The connections would allow an alternate source of water and more consistent water pressure at the far ends of lines, not to mention development opportunities. About two miles of lines on Dance Road would connect the Harmony Road line with the Greensboro Highway line, at the same time giving the hospital a second source of water, $1,273,000. A second would loop together U.S. 441 South/Ted Dunn Road and MLK Drive, $1,212,000. A third is called the primary school loop, $554,000. A fourth would link West Sumter back into Jackson Street, $489,000.