Sunny View water line complete after $60k in change orders

Published 10:00 pm Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Polk County’s water line extension to Sunny View is complete and awaiting state certification to begin flowing water.

County commissioners met Aug. 10 and approved a change order of $60,815 to add to the project to complete the project.

“We have to have this approved to finalize the project,” said county engineer Dave Odom.

Odom said the change orders were necessary because contractors encountered a lot of rock during the project, the water line had to be bore under a gas line, which was much more expensive than anticipated and easements had to be acquired.

Odom also said Steppe Construction, the contractor, did an excellent job on the project.

The budget amendment included transferring the $60,815 from the county’s general fund balance to water capital with commissioners also approving increasing the project budget ordinance by the additional amount.

During water line discussions, Odom also said now would be a good time to discuss another phase for future projects in the Sunny View area. He said the county can’t extend the water line much further because the county would see water pressure decline. He said there have been requests for water line extensions on Coopers Gap and McGuinn roads. In order to extend the water line any further, Odom said a booster pump station will be necessary.

Commissioners approved having Odom pursue a pump station in the area and to return to the board with estimated costs.

Commissioner Ray Gasperson asked Odom how many taps the county acquired along the new water line. Odom said a good number, in the 20-30-range.

The new water line to Sunny View will mean Sunny View School and the Sunny View Fire and Rescue Department will be connected to public water. The water source will come from Broad River Water Authority (BRWA), which the county has an agreement with after allowing BRWA and Inman-Campobello Water District (ICWD) to connect systems through Polk County. Polk County owns the main trunk water line that runs through Green Creek and is able to extend water lines throughout the county.

The water line extension to Sunny View began last December and was originally scheduled to be complete by the start of the new school year, Monday, Aug. 24.

There was more than 31,000 ft. of water line installed along Hwy. 9 between Sunny View Elementary School, along Big Level Road and the Mill Spring Crossroads at Hwy. 108.

Commissioners approved a $1,567,340 contract with Steppe Construction last year, so the final project cost the county $1,628,155 including the final change order.

Commissioners originally appropriated $1.6 million from the county’s fund balance to pay for the extension.

The connection to Sunny View means that all Polk County fire departments and schools are on public water instead of wells.