Gackle Sanitary Sewer Improvements

Interstate Engineering was selected by the City of Gackle to resolve issues the city was having with its wastewater collection system.

Interstate Engineering had completed previous projects, which included televising, and the results confirmed that the sanitary sewer mains throughout the city were in very poor condition and undersized. The majority of the city’s sewer mains were made up of 4-inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch vitrified clay pipe with some areas of cast iron pipe.

Interstate Engineering assisted the city with the completion of applications for funding from USDA Rural Development and for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to complete the project. The city was awarded approximately 50% of the grant request from USDA Rural Development and received 100% of the grant funds requested from CDBG.

Following the completion of the application process and grant awards, the city contracted Interstate Engineering to develop plans and specifications for the project. Although different alternatives were considered to resolve the issue, a total replacement of the system with new PVC pipe and precast concrete manholes was selected. All the streets that were open cut due to the primary sewer replacement were repaved with asphalt pavement. The city also added several residents and businesses to the collection system by adding a new sewer main, services, and a new wastewater lift station. This enabled the city to extend services to a previously annexed small development located south of the city along State Highway 56. Interstate also worked with landowners to obtain easements to install the new mains on their property.

Construction bids were opened, with the contract being awarded in the amount of $1,734,900. Construction started in the fall. With approximately half of the project complete, work ceased for the winter months but commenced again the following spring. The underground portion of the project was completed by July and paving of the streets and cleanup were completed in October, which made the project substantially complete.

Construction ran smoothly. The city had remaining grant dollars left over from the project. Currently, some of those grant funds are being used to provide 3-phase power to the wastewater lagoon facility in preparation for a future lagoon improvement project and new lift station. Interstate Engineering is currently working with the city and FEMA to help finance the lagoon improvement project.