Sioux City taps Black & Veatch for mandated wastewater environmental audit alongside series of infrastructure upgrades

Sioux City taps Black & Veatch for mandated wastewater environmental audit alongside series of infrastructure upgradesThe Sioux City Council has approved negotiations for a comprehensive environmental audit of its wastewater treatment plant to maintain compliance with a State of Iowa consent order, while also greenlighting multiple stormwater and sewer maintenance contracts.

Black & Veatch selected to perform a $68,665 Comprehensive Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Audit to satisfy State of Iowa Consent Order No. EQCV200902.

Council approved a $31,435 amendment with Northwest Electric LLC for additional pump repairs at the wastewater facility, bringing the total contract to $50,437.

CIT Sewer Solutions awarded a $25,892 contract for the Big Sioux Levee Storm Sewer Cleaning and Televising Project to update records for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Plans and estimated costs of $123,000 were adopted for the FY 2026 Annual Manhole Replacement Project.

The Sioux City Council advanced several key wastewater and stormwater infrastructure initiatives during its February 23, 2026, meeting, headlined by the approval of a critical environmental audit for the city's wastewater treatment plant. The council authorized the Public Works Director to negotiate an agreement with Kansas City-based Black & Veatch to conduct a Comprehensive Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Audit. The $68,665 contract is required by the State of Iowa to ensure the city's continued compliance with Consent Order, Judgment, and Decree No. EQCV200902. Black & Veatch, which brings broad environmental compliance expertise and experience with regional water quality initiatives such as the Blue River Biosolids Improvement Project, was selected from a pool of four proposals following a Request for Proposals process. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reviewed and approved the firm's qualifications. Funding for the audit will be drawn from the city's Sewer Fund. In addition to the audit, the council approved an amendment for ongoing equipment maintenance at the wastewater treatment plant. An existing service provider agreement with Northwest Electric LLC was increased by $31,435.22, bringing the total not-to-exceed amount to $50,437.22. The additional funds will cover expanded repair requirements discovered after a Pentair Fairbanks pump was disassembled and analyzed off-site. Stormwater infrastructure and flood control also received attention, with the council awarding a $25,892 service provider agreement to CIT Sewer Solutions. The contractor will clean and televise six storm sewer drainage structures along the Big Sioux River levee. This work was specifically identified by the US Army Corps of Engineers as requiring updated records and is scheduled for completion by May 1, 2026. Furthermore, the council held a public hearing and adopted plans for the FY 2026 Annual Manhole Replacement Project. The $123,000 project will replace two sanitary sewer manholes and three storm sewer manholes identified as being in poor condition across four city locations. A broader presentation on the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was slated to include discussions on odor control, was postponed to the following week's meeting due to time constraints.