County needs $250K worth of repairs and access road at sewer plant 

 

MILL SPRING—Polk County went out for bids to do approximately $250,000 worth of work at its wastewater treatment plant, but received no bids.  

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said the next step is to have county engineer Dave Odom reach out to local contractors to see if they will bid on the work.  

The county owns a wastewater treatment plant at Woodland Mills, near the Polk County Recreation Park and Polk County Middle School. The plant serves the middle school and the department of social services, both off Wolverine Trail in Mill Spring.  

Odom told commissioners last November there have been challenges at the wastewater treatment plan over the last two years. He said the plant is getting older and needs investments.  

The state has sent notices about the plant, including the need for an equalization basin, which is estimated to cost $150,000.  

The plant also needs an access road, which is estimated at $100,000.  

Polk County built the new middle school and recreation park and when it did, it also purchased the wastewater treatment plant that used to serve Woodland Mills, which was shut down.  

The access road would be constructed from Wolverine Trail near the tennis courts to the plant.  

The county had to submit a permit to the state to do the work, then go out for bids.  

Polk County does not have to submit formal bids for any project less than $300,000, so informal bids are currently being sought to get the upgrades done.  

Pittman plans to discuss the project during his manager’s report during a commissioner’s meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.