FARMINGTON – A local construction company came in with the lowest bid of six submitted to replace the failing storm drain outfall pipe off Front Street.
Selectmen awarded the project to E.L. Vining & Son, Inc. of Farmington for $250,000. Voters at the annual town meeting approved appropriating up to $300,000 from the town’s unassigned fund balance account for the project. Other project costs, which have totaled $40,000, have been spent on engineering the design, ground testing, and a biological assessment on the project’s potential impact on salmon habitat.
The drainage pipe, which runs under Prescott Field from an area along the south side of the old rail bed and along the perimeter of the field’s north side to the Sandy River, carries a large section of downtown Farmington’s storm water.
In August 2014, a sink hole suddenly emerged in the middle of Front Street due to the failing pipeline’s back-up of flow which undermined the road’s base. Other issues traced to the too-slow-flow of the outfall pipe included flooding on Main Street near Dunkin’ Donuts, which also occurred last summer during heavy rain events.
On inspection, the pipe was discovered to have deteriorated considerably. Sediment and debris were found to have infiltrated the pipe, clogging its flow. Selectmen decided it was time to replace the pipe. In 2006, the upper portion of the downtown’s storm drain system was replaced for $250,000, but the riverside half of the project was deferred due to a lack of funds at the time.
Dirigo Engineering of Fairfield had worked on the 2006 project, and was contracted again to complete an updated study of the pipe system and engineered the design for replacement this year. Based on Dirigo’s recommendation, selectmen chose to relocate and install a larger diameter pipe to handle the outfall. The discharge area will change to an area north of the old rail bed and go directly into a shallow pool of the Sandy River. The discharge area now is closer to the popular beach area of the river.
The alternate route was preferred because the existing pipeline runs further, would cost more to replace and its pitch is too flat for a slower-than-desired discharge capacity. The project includes using 48-inch smooth pipe for speedier discharge rather than the 30-inch ribbed piping that reaches 1,500 feet in use now.
The change of discharge area will need U.S. Fish and Wildlife Maine permitting for the potential impact on Atlantic salmon.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Town Manager Richard Davis said the permit hasn’t been received yet, but didn’t see a problem with the plans as having an impact on salmon at the site of discharge.
“There is no impact on salmon habitat,” he said and added, “it should be an easy approval.”
The five other bidders were C.H. Stevenson, Inc. at $277,938; Jordan Excavation for $295,450; Longchamps & Sons, Inc. for $297,767.25; Ranger Contracting at $291,141; Sargent Corporation for $439,250.
In other matters, selectmen approved spending $12,800 from the Public Works Department’s equipment reserve account to replace the high pressure pump on the vactor truck. The truck is used by the department to clean out catch basins and the other needs that call for the use of a high power sprayer or vacuum for road debris.
