The Thomson Township engineering department is set to start accepting bids for a sewer rehabilitation project slated to begin this fall.
The project will repair various sewer mains throughout the township, including the installation of up to 4,000 feet of upgraded sewer lines.
A proposed budget of approximately $411,000 has been designated for the project, with Township Engineer Joe Jurewicz estimating costs to range between $373,000 and $518,000.
Funding for the sewer rehabilitation will come from the sewer general fund reserves, according to Township Clerk Rhonda Peleski.
Peleski explained that the sewer general fund money comes from monthly sewer fees paid by residents and businesses located along the sanitary sewer line, not from the township as a whole.
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"It will not affect the taxpayers in any way," she said.
According to Jurewicz, the total cost is dependent on what bids are received by the township. He has planned for a possible base bid of $360,000, with a contingency of $54,000.
There are also two bid alternatives that would allow for a lower project cost if needed.
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Jurewicz explained that in recent discussions, he has seen significant interest in the project from various local contractors, and he believes several bids will be submitted for the project.
The board on Thursday, April 15, approved moving forward with the bid process, with board members expressing interest in starting the project as soon as possible.
“This isn’t new to us,” Chair Terry Hill said.
The discussion around sewer rehabilitation in the township first began in 2018, but it was determined that problem areas were not in immediate need of repair. Now, Jurewicz says the township can no longer push back the project.
“There were a lot of small damages,” he said. “At this point, it’s time to start repairing them.”
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Areas affected by the project include the Timberline Drive neighborhood, Spruce Street, Memorial Drive, Maple Drive, Erickson Road and Harney Road.
Jurewicz hopes to have the project completed by early 2022, with bid alternatives estimating a completion date of July 31, 2022.
