Sep. 9—City councilors and public attendees received an update on continuing work at the Claremore Water Treatment Plant during the Aug. 21 meeting Public Works Authority meeting.

A contract with Burns & McDonnell, the design and construction team for the $28 million Claremore Water Treatment Plant Improvements project, was also approved.

The two-year project is expected to see "substantial project completion" by October 2025.

The City Council's elected officials serve as members of the PWA.

Comments and presentation given at the meeting were made by City Engineer Garrett Ball, City Manager John Feary, and Jake White and Anthony Mravunac with Burns & McDonnell.

White noted it had taken two years of planning and preparation to get "where we are tonight."

The current contract covers Phase 2 of the Water Treatment Plant improvements and will address water quality issues. Two things present in Claremore water that need to be addressed are manganese and organics. Manganese can cause discoloration. Elevated levels of organics are present. The current system can either address one or the other, not both.

They looked at three different options for treating water and decided enhanced coagulation and green sand filtering would be the best option.

Other future projects to be addressed include:

—Raw water intake replacement.

—Distribution improvements.

—Distribution storage.

—Additional water supply/water rights.

A contract with Burns & McDonnell for the Water Treatment Plant improvements was approved, unanimously. Council member voting included: motion by Justin Michael, second by Jonathan Eslick with an affirmative roll call vote from Councilors Melissa Cottom, Josh Fellman, Michael, Brian Callender, Eslick, Holly Bowlby, Herb McSpadden and Lindsey Erwin.

Approval of the first change order request for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Fence & Flow Equalization Basin (FEB) Improvements was also approved, allowing an increase of $3,795 in cost. City Engineer Ball shared with the Council that 3 feet of sludge and silt had to be removed and that groundwater infiltration had been found, so additional measures were needed. The change order was approved unanimously.