There is good news for the Wake Forest water consumers. The low bid by Park Construction of Morrisville for the Smith Creek Interceptor Upgrade Project – rebuild of the sewer line – was $2 million less than the design engineer’s estimate, $7,897,113 as opposed to $9.93 million.
This will lower the town’s cost for the merger of its water and sewer systems with the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department and hasten the date when Wake Forest water customers pay the same rates as customers in Raleigh, which are slightly lower than the town’s.
It will be another two months or more before Wake Forest and Raleigh learn the cost for the sewer line rebuild along Richland Creek on the west side of town.
The Wake Forest Board of Commissioners voted in 2005 to turn over operation of the town’s water and sewer systems to Raleigh with a price tag of $19 million – plus – for system repairs, upgrades and construction. There was $3 million for additional capacity in the city’s water system included in the $19 million.
There was also $1 million as the “place holder” for the needed rebuilding of the sewer lines along Smith and Richland creeks.
That means the total cost of the utility merger will not be known until the bids are open for both projects. The town has been paying off the debt through the difference between the town’s and the city’s water and sewer rates and through water and sewer impact fees for new construction.
