Drinking Water Treatment Facility: Ground Breaking Ceremony Scheduled
The City of Pierre, in concert with PKG Contracting, Inc., is hosting a ground breaking ceremony at the site of Pierre’s new drinking water treatment facility.
The ceremony, at the west end of Steamboat Park, is at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7.
“The ground breaking event signals the start of construction,” said City Utilities Director, Brad Palmer. “This project is more than two years in the making and a major project for this community.”
The City just opened construction bids for the project last week.
“We’re full steam ahead!” said Palmer.
Within the next couple of weeks, equipment will be staged north of the Missouri River bridge. That’s where a water intake and pump house will be established. It will draw water from the Missouri River and pump it under Sioux Ave. to the water treatment facility.
To accommodate construction, the Steamboat Park playground has temporarily been removed and you’ll start to see project activity on south side of the bridge within a month. By fall next year, the building should start to take shape. In mid-2022, the system will be in place to begin the transition to treated water.
“The goal is to have water flowing from the facility to your faucet by fall 2022,” said Palmer.
The total project cost is estimated at $37.5 million. The City is using a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) agreement for the project. PKG Contracting, Inc., teaming with Scull Construction Services Inc., holds that agreement and is responsible for keeping the project on time and on budget.
With 73% of the vote, in June 2018, Pierre voters approved the plan to build a new water treatment facility in Steamboat Park to reduce the high mineral content found in Pierre’s current water supply. This plan, as approved by voters, includes raising residential water rates by approximately $1 a day.