LOWER MERION — During its latest meeting, Lower Merion commissioners approved about $2 million in infrastructure projects.
The projects were discussed at a Jan. 15 finance committee meeting, when the commissioners considered awarding two contracts totaling just over $1.6 million for stormwater — sanitary sewer lining and manhole reconstruction. Later, a third contract over work at a pumping station was discussed.
The largest single contract of $1.28 million for storm and sanitary sewer lining went to Performance Pipelining. A second contract for manhole reconstruction for $322,423 went to Mr. Rehab.
“This program, I like to think of as the paving list of our sanitary sewer infrastructure,” Adam Szumski, chief financial officer, said about the sanitary sewer lining work.
Szumski said the list is identified each year in various areas of the township to improve the aging infrastructure.
“It’s multiple locations for lining and even more locations for manhole rehab,” Ernie McNeely, township manager, said when commissioners asked where the work would be done.
Commissioner Scot Zelov said the $1.6 million bid came in about 20 percent lower than the engineering estimate of $2 million, nearly $400,000 lower.
The township was also awarded a $500,000 Pennsylvania Small Water and Sewer Grant for a portion of the project, bringing the net township construction costs to $1,105,654.
According to the website of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the grant is for “Activities to assist with the construction, improvement, expansion, or rehabilitation or repair of a water supply system, sanitary sewer system, storm sewer system, or flood control projects.”
In a separate action, the commissioners also approved a $394,731 contract with Jurich, Inc. for improvements at the township’s Fenimore Pump Station at Waverly and Youngsford roads in Gladwyne.
In its documents, township officials said Lower Merion is furnishing some equipment for the contractor at an added cost, but the project has come in under the estimated budget.
“An additional $10,000 is allocated for the Township to purchase and furnish equipment to the contractor for installation, resulting in a combined total construction cost of $404,731. The construction contract bid and Township equipment purchase total is $45,269, or 10%, less than the total construction budget of $450,000,” according to township documents.
All the items were discussed at the Jan. 15 finance committee meeting and recommended to the commissioners for approval. They were approved as part of the board’s consent agenda at the Jan. 22 meeting.