Davenport Sewer System Cost Less Than Expected

Published: Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 10:33 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 10:33 p.m.

DAVENPORT | The bids are in, and costs of a new sewer collection system in Davenport have come in less than expected.

City Manager Amy Arrington said last week the low bid for the wastewater treatment plant is just less than $2 million, which is what engineers projected. However, the low bid for the sewer collection system to be installed in old Davenport east of U.S. 17/92 was $1.7 million less than projected.

"If that bid is a good one, we're in a good position," Arrington said. "We're waiting for our engineers to verify that everything is good with those low bids."

City commissioners will discussing the issue at a workshop Monday.

The commission decided last month to build its own wastewater treatment plant because it was less expensive than hooking into Polk County's or Haines City's.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has been pressuring towns whose residents have septic tanks to build sewer systems to prevent pollution of lakes and streams.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $4.9 million in loans and a $2.3 million grant to fund the project.

The city has a bond issue ready to go to borrow the funds needed to install the sewer system and wastewater treatment plant but will wait until a town meeting tentatively set for July 12.

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Davenport Sewer System Cost Less Than Expected