Charleston City Council will announce the bid award for an innovative new water treatment plant during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Out of several choices, Mayor Dan Cougill said the construction bid from River City Constructio, L.L.C. of Benton, Ill., will be up for council approval.

“We’re accepting the lowest bidder,” he said.

River City’s facility construction bid was the lowest, at $9.07 million.

“These construction figures are much more in line with what we wanted to pay,” Cougill said.

The new treatment plant facility was budgeted for the 2002-03 fiscal year, but an acceptable bid was not found last year under the design firm Black and Veatch.

Cougill said the city terminated that relationship and looked to Crawford, Murray and Tilley this year.

The new plant will be located near the present one, off McKinley Avenue by Lake Charleston.

“To build we have to relocate our utility facility, which is currently on site where we want to go,” Cougill said. “Tests are also required by the IEPA (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency).”

Those tests are necessary to determine the impact of the plant’s unique quality, the use of ozone.

“Our treatment plant will be one of the first, if not the first, to utilize ozone for taste and odor,” Cougill said. “We will do a pilot test that emulates ozone into the process to prove to the IEPA the ozone doesn’t have a negative impact.”

Considering all anticipated costs, the water treatment plant was projected at $9.3 million in general obligation waterworks and sewage bonds. Those bonds are considered alternate revenue sources.

The issuance of the bonds will be announced by council to the lowest bidder.

“Spear Financial does our revenue source,” Cougill said. “They will have a bid opening for actual sale of bonds before the council meeting.”

Those wanting to sell bonds will make bid offers by Tuesday afternoon we will know our low bidder.”

Designation of an agreement with Mitsubishi Power Products Inc., also will be up for council approval.

Mitsubishi was the lowest bidder of three to work with other contractors in plant construction, particularly with the ozone technology.

“What happened was, because IEPA requires us to do a pilot test before allowing us to install ozone – IEPA requires a year for the pilot test – we had to see if the price would still be good in a year,” Cougill said.

“They will agree to hold the price and we will agree to hold the equipment if the pilot test is successful.”

Council will meet at 2 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall on Jackson Avenue.

City editor Carly Mullady can be reached at [email protected].