SPRINGDALE -- The Water and Sewer Commission on Wednesday accepted two bids totaling about $2.4 million to finalize its work in the area of the former city of Bethel Heights. The commission's decision was unanimous.
Bethel Heights was annexed into Springdale in August 2020 after residents of both towns voted 64% in favor of an annexation. At issue was the Bethel Heights wastewater treatment system, which for at least 10 years the city had operated out of compliance with its license from the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality.
Brothers Construction of Van Buren will build the first phase of an extension of a main sewer line from the former city for almost $2.1 million.
Sweetser Construction of Fayetteville will decommission Bethel Heights' two wastewater treatment plants for $348,400.
The Springdale Water and Sewer Commission will pay for both projects through $3 million in bonds sold by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. A $2 million loan with a 1% interest rate from the state will pay for the first phase of the extension of the sewer lines. A $1 million forgivable loan will cover the cost of closing the former city's two treatment plants.
The initial extension of the sewer main will run east for about a mile from the west side of the Thornbury subdivision to just south of Forrest Bowen Park on North Oak Street. The second phase of construction will take the line to the intersection of Old Wire Road and Arkansas 264.
The new 12-inch sewer line will have a capacity of well over 1,000 gallons per minute, which roughly equals the capacity to serve the city of Lowell, said Rick Pulvirenti, chief engineer and operating officer for Springdale Water Utilities.
Heath Ward, executive director of the municipal utility, projected a year for the project's completion.
The extension project also will make permanent two connections of the previous Bethel Heights wastewater system to Springdale main sewer lines in the area. Parts of those temporary connection pipes currently lie on top of the ground, Ward said.
Ultimately, the sewer main extension will provide sewer service to land in northeast Springdale likely to be developed, Pulvirenti said.
The Springdale Public Facilities Board owns industrial lots on Kendrick Avenue and is eager for sewer service within reach of the lots, he added.
Pulvirenti said the utility obtained wide easements for the extension project, so a parallel sewer line could be installed to add capacity to the area as needed.
The work at the former treatment plants will include removing treatment pods and pumping out remaining waste and rupturing and filling with dirt storage tanks which will remain underground, Pulvirenti said.
Bethel Heights operated a septic tank effluent pumping system to treat its wastewater.
The commission will retain a maintenance building on the site of the Lincoln Drive plant but give the 2-acre property surrounding it to the city of Springdale.
Ward said the utility staff also will add to the property records on file with Benton County a disclosure of the land's former use. The former city and its utility lie in Benton County.
Ward said the cleanup project should be completed in nine months.