Estimated construction costs at the Shamokin-Coal Township sewer plant have dropped from $40 million to $37 million.
The new estimate is made by adding the apparent low bids for general and electrical construction with anticipated change orders, engineering and other costs.
Bids for construction and electrical work at the plant in Weigh Scales were opened last month. Michael F. Ronca and Sons Inc., of Bethlehem, submitted the low bid for general construction at $26,233,000. MBR Construction Services Inc., Reading, submitted the low bid for electrical construction at $6,360,000.
Change orders are expected to total $1,303,320, anticipated at 4 percent of the construction costs. Engineering costs are figured to be $1,705,000, while administrative, legal and financial costs could total $400,000.
The estimated $37,000,000 total factors in 3 percent for contingencies.
Contracts were not yet offered to the apparent low bidders as the authority continues to straighten out its finances. It is expected to formally ask the Shamokin and Coal Township governing bodies to guarantee a federal loan next month, which could be the last great financial hurdle.
The expansion and upgrade of the plant is the latest phase of the federally mandated sewer-stormwater separation project.
The project is not an option, and the authority must follow the federal mandate to bring it into compliance with requirements that pollutants reaching the Chesapeake Bay be reduced.