Murfreesboro leverages active sewer contract to execute developer warranty repairs

Murfreesboro leverages active sewer contract to execute developer warranty repairsThe Tennessee utility is using its $4.3 million 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation contract to streamline cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining on defective private infrastructure, allowing developers to fund repairs through the city's mobilized contractor.

The City Council approved scope changes to the 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project, adding private warranty repairs and pump station suction line replacements.

Developers and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) are funding their respective portions of the repair work.

A $31,436 engineering amendment was awarded to LJA Engineering to handle the additional construction administration and GIS tracking.

Despite the added scope and a 26-day schedule extension, the construction contract with SBW Constructors saw a net decrease of $2,844 due to the removal of other planned segments.

The City of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is taking an unconventional approach to addressing defective sewer infrastructure in newly developed communities by rolling private warranty repairs into an active municipal rehabilitation contract. During a July 2 meeting, the Murfreesboro City Council approved amendments to the city’s 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project, adjusting both the construction contract with SBW Constructors and the engineering task order with LJA Engineering to accommodate the expanded scope. Water Resources Director Valerie Smith explained that the city has partnered with local developers to address liner failures in recently installed sewer pipes. Rather than having developers procure separate contractors for the warranty work, the city is utilizing its mobilized municipal contractor to perform the cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining. "We have partnered with them to add some rehab to their newly installed pipe that has had problems with the liner inside of it," Smith told the council. "They are paying for that to be added to our contract." Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is similarly funding CIPP installations for private sewer lines on its campus through the city’s contract. To accommodate the coordination, video review, and GIS updates associated with the third-party repairs, the council approved a $31,436 amendment to LJA Engineering's construction administration task order, bringing the firm's total contract to $483,936. Simultaneously, the council approved Change Order No. 1 for SBW Constructors. While the change order adds 26 days to the project timeline to complete the warranty work and the newly added replacement of suction lines at two pump stations, the overall construction contract value decreased by $2,844 to $4.33 million due to the removal of other previously planned mainline segments. According to city documents, the strategy of consolidating these repairs under the existing municipal contract allows the Water Resources Department to secure cheaper pricing for critical replacements while ensuring that new development infrastructure meets municipal standards before final acceptance.