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YOUNGSTOWN - The apparent low bid for the first phase of a significant and extensive wastewater improvement project came in at about half of the estimate.
Four bids were opened Friday for the work with Marucci & Gaffney Excavating Co. of Youngstown submitting the apparent low bid of $2,187,690. The apparent second lowest bid of $2,377,230 came from Rudzik Excavating Inc. of Struthers with the other being $2,596,000 from A.P. O'Horo Co. of Liberty and $2,876,675.75 from S.E.T. Inc. of Lowellville.
The engineer's estimate for this first phase of a wet weather facility project was $4,323,825. When city council voted Aug. 17 to permit the board of control to seek bids and enter into contracts for the first phase, the estimate was $3,779,391.
Charles Shasho, the city's deputy director of public works, said Friday the estimate was increased after discussions with potential bidders about what would be needed for the work.
"When you go through the bid process, you change it based on what you hear," Shasho said.
But even with the increase in the estimate, all four bids were well below either figure.
Shasho said: "The bottom line is we're very happy with the numbers. I'm hoping it continues with the other phases. But this is more traditional work. We had really good numbers. Things are stabilizing with bids. Engineers are estimating higher numbers, but the bids are going down in the last couple of years. Anyone in the public sector would agree the numbers are stabilizing quite a bit."
This first phase is initial site improvements for the wet weather facility, a project estimated to cost $228 million and required by a federal consent decree.
The work includes demolition, mass grading, stormwater work, installing a waterline, site security, electrical duct banks and rebuilding a portion of Williamson Avenue extension that goes through the city's wastewater treatment plant property.
The project award request will be in front of the board of control Nov. 19, Shasho said.
The work will start in January and be done by June, he said.
The relocation of various utility lines, costing an estimated $3.5 million, is ongoing and the city still needs to purchase properties - some through eminent domain - on and near Gibson Street in order for the first phase work to commence, Shasho said.
The wet weather facility is the third part of more than $400 million in projects by the city to improve its wastewater system as mandated by the federal government.
The 80-million-gallon-per-day wet weather facility will have a number of structures and a tunnel to treat excess combined sewage during heavy rainstorms and then release the water.
Overall, seven projects will require bids for the wet weather facility with the first one being, by far, the least expensive. The city will pay for the first phase, as well as the utility relocations, out of the wastewater fund with the rest borrowed from the state, Shasho said.
City council at its Nov. 17 meeting will consider legislation to borrow the money and authorize the board of control to advertise for bids and enter into contracts for the second and third phases.
The second phase, estimated to cost $45 million, would build a 96-inch tunnel under the Mahoning River to provide additional upstream large sewer connectivity as well as replace a Crab Creek siphon that's about 100 years old.
The third phase, estimated to cost $55 million, is for a screening and grit removal building.
Bids for the tunnel are scheduled for February while the screening and grit removal bids are scheduled for April.
Even with the significant savings from the first phase, Shasho said it doesn't discount the city's need to raise wastewater rates by 14% annually for five years, starting Jan. 1.
A study done by Arcadis, an international firm that specializes in water and sewer analysis, recommends increasing planned 5% increases in 2027 and 2028 to 14% and adding 14% annual increases for 2029, 2030 and 2031.
Without the increase, the study states the city would be unable to pay the debt service on $404 million in wastewater improvements it has either done or is planning as part of a federal consent decree.
The city's current annual debt for the first phase of the project - $74 million in improvements to its wastewater treatment plant - is $5 million a year.
But with the wet weather facility project, estimated to cost $228 million, and another ongoing project for a Mill Creek interceptor sewer, estimated to cost $102 million, that annual debt service jumps to $27 million a year in 2032 and will be that amount for 20 years.
The administration asked city council for the 14% rate increases, which will be up for discussion at the Nov. 17 meeting.