Little Rock Wastewater (LRW) and its consulting engineers at CDM are proud to announce that construction will soon begin on the biggest infrastructure investment Little Rock has seen over the past decade: the Little Maumelle Wastewater Treatment Facility. To commemorate the event, LRW will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 11:00am on October 1, 2008 at the site of the new treatment facility near Chenal Parkway/Hwy 300.

This new treatment facility has been over 30 years in the making, beginning with the Little Rock Board of Directors adopting resolution No. 4,159 authorizing LRW to obtain a grant to build a new treatment facility in 1969. Because of public input and political pressure, LRW built the Little Maumelle Pump Station as a temporary solution in 1987. However, LRW did not give up and many tracts of land were evaluated for the much needed new wastewater treatment facility.

Currently the sewer from the Little Maumelle Basin and portions of West Little Rock is conveyed all the way from Pinnacle Valley Road to the Adam’s Field Treatment Facility near the Little Rock National Airport. When completed, the new treatment facility will serve the residents of Little Maumelle River Valley with the best of accommodations. The treatment facility will be the only treatment facility in Arkansas to have a tertiary treatment process. The facility will have odor control and the bio-solids will be conveyed from the new wastewater treatment facility to the Fourche Creek Treatment Facility. The wastewater will be disinfected with Ultra Violet light instead of chemicals, which is better for the environment. The outfall point (where the disinfected wastewater or effluent will be discharged) will have a special diffuser that will scatter the effluent so as not to have one giant flow of treated wastewater. Aesthetically speaking, the facility will be completely covered and constructed with a brick façade to match the theme of the nearby Pinnacle Mountain State Park.

The treatment facility was divided into 4 contracts. The status of the contracts are as follows:

Contract I: Access Road to the plant – Our contractor, B3, Inc. will be complete mid October.

Contract II: Treatment Facility – Our contractor, Max Foote Construction was issued Notice to Proceed on June 17, 2008 with a substantial completion date of October 2010.

Contract III: Pump Station Improvements – Project was advertised for bid August 31st and September 7th. Bid opening is scheduled for October 7, 2008.

Contract IV: Conveyance Route – Design plans are 100% complete. Project will be advertised to bid on October 5th and 19th 2008. Bid opening will be November 10, 2008.

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