Utility's $6.5M Maumelle project advances

Central Arkansas Water anticipates spending about $6.5 million to build a transmission main that connects its system to the newly acquired Maumelle system.

The agency's Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to enter into a $6,125,000 construction contract with Kajacs Contractors to build the 30-inch connecting main, and a $395,000 contract with Hawkins-Weir Engineers Inc. for the construction phase of engineering work related to the project.

The pipe will be about 5.5 miles long. The agency's engineers had previously estimated spending $7 million to $9 million on the construction and had budgeted $9.2 million for the project.

Kajacs was the low bidder of five contractors, beating the second-lowest bidder by almost $1 million. The highest bidder came in at almost $12 million.

Commissioners also approved a settlement with one of the last property owners needed to relinquish an easement to build the main.

Of 16 tracts, 14 had been acquired by Central Arkansas Water before December. The utility sued the remaining two property owners. One of them, whose property the utility estimates is worth $2,200, has not sent a counteroffer, and the process will proceed in court.

The other one -- the Country Club of Arkansas -- accepted a settlement of $250,000 for the easement, which the commission approved Thursday.

Metro on 01/13/2017

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