The City of Vincennes along with other municipalities across the state are facing a mandate from the E-P-A to reduce the amount of phosphorus in their waste water stream.
The Utilities Services Board on Monday approved a contract with H-N-T-B Engineering of Indianapolis for the design, bidding and oversight of construction of the system to eliminate the phosphorus material.
The contract is not to exceed 250-thousand dollars. Water Utilities Manager Kirk (Boo-Shee) Bouchie says their phosphate levels are not out of line, but the E-P-A is mandating that cities reduce the levels in their storm water to 1-milligarm per liter by November 2017.
He says the process will include physical treatment of the water along with a minor chemical addition.
Another engineering firm, Clark-Dietz had provided the city with the preliminary engineering work for the filtration system at a cost of 100-thousand dollars. However, the individual who did the preliminary study had left the company and Bouchie says they decided to hire HNTB since they had worked on upgrades to the plant 10-years ago and are familiar with the plant’s operation.
The Vincennes Water Utilities is looking to close out several projects related to improvements of the city’s levee by the end of the year.
Water Utilities Manager Kirk Bouchie says they are looking to replace several pipes at the St. Clair and Perry Street pumping station while realigning others. The projects have been delayed due to recent wet weather.
The project is being paid for through a grant the city received from the Office of Rural and Community Affairs.
The Utilities Services Board also approved claims totaling just over 30-thousand dollars to Hydromax U.S.A for light cleaning and camera inspection of the city’s storm sewers and levee pipes.
In other business, Bouchie reported 100-percent participation by Water Utility Employees to the United Way of Knox County for the 11th straight year. He says employees pledged just over 15-thousand dollars for 2016.