Murfreesboro moves to keep sewer rehabilitation pipeline continuous

Murfreesboro moves to keep sewer rehabilitation pipeline continuousMurfreesboro City Council has approved a $503,360 LJA Engineering task order to develop and oversee a 2027 sanitary sewer rehabilitation project estimated at $3.25 million in construction value. The utility is seeking to avoid a gap between its current rehabilitation contract and the next package of work.

The LJA task order is capped at $503,360 and covers design, bidding, construction administration, resident inspection and permitting.

The next rehabilitation package is preliminarily valued at about $3.25 million, above the utility's stated $3 million target.

The project will address priority defective manholes, sewer mains and lateral connections, and is expected to have a 320-day construction period.

The utility said rehabilitation provides structural support, reduces groundwater infiltration and inflow, and frees system capacity for further development.

Murfreesboro City Council has approved a $503,360 engineering task order with LJA Engineering for the city's next sanitary sewer rehabilitation programme, allowing Murfreesboro Water Resources Department to begin design work while its current rehabilitation contract approaches completion. The October 1 approval covers design, advertisement and bidding, construction administration, resident project representation and permitting for the 2027 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project. The task order is funded through the FY27 budget and working-capital reserves; construction bids will be returned to council separately. LJA's preliminary assumption is a $3.25 million construction package, slightly above the department's $3 million target. The scope will include rehabilitation of defective manholes, mains and lateral connections in priority portions of the collection network. It also includes development-warranty punch-list work and rehabilitation of a 24-inch sewer main expected to receive flow when Headworks Building No. 1 is recommissioned. The consultancy's fees comprise a $158,500 lump sum for design, advertisement and bidding; up to $117,250 for construction administration; up to $199,860 for resident project representation; and up to $27,750 for permitting. LJA anticipates completing the first task, design and bid preparation, about 60 days after receiving the executed agreement. The construction period is estimated at approximately 320 days. Under the assignment, LJA will use CCTV inspection records, PACP databases and utility GIS data to develop a prioritised rehabilitation plan. It will prepare contract documents and maps, conduct a mandatory pre-bid meeting, manage bidding queries, assess the apparent low bidder and prepare a recommendation of award. During construction, the firm will support monthly progress meetings, review contractor submittals and pay applications, coordinate change orders and closeout, and produce final GIS record drawings. The resident-inspection scope assumes the department will provide one qualified full-time inspector alongside LJA personnel, reflecting the utility's expectation that several crews can be active in different locations. The department said sewer rehabilitation is required maintenance and renewal work that extends the service life of its collection assets. It also said reducing groundwater infiltration and inflow releases capacity in the system for additional development.