Waupaca Common Council approves design fee
By Robert Cloud
City officials are considering a sanitary sewer extension that would run out to the Waupaca Municipal Airport.
At the Oct. 3 city council meeting, Public Works Director Justin Berrens recommended the council approve hiring Strand Associates to design the system.
Berrens stressed that the city needed to move quickly on the project.
“There is a developer looking to make improvements, put some buildings up at the airport and needs sewer service,” Berrens told the council.
“We have a very tight schedule,“ Berrens added. “If we put this thing out to RFP (request for proposals), that could take 2-3 months, getting the contract executed could add some time and then trying to get through design a couple more months and permitting is certainly several months.”
Berrens said the city has previously worked with Strand on a number of projects, such as roadway, water main and sanitary sewer design on High and Harrison streets.
Driven by proposed development
In a letter to the city, Strand noted a developer has asked the city to have sanitary sewer service operational to a 10-acre parcel between Runway Drive and the airport by July 2023.
At a Sept. 5 Committee of the Whole meeting, Bob Mittlestaedt with Alliance Industries said he is looking to relocate his business to Runway Drive.
At the Oct. 3 meeting, the council approved paying Strand a $110,000 fee, which includes providing topographic survey, preliminary design, DNR permitting, easements, FAA land release, specifications, bidding and contracting services.
Construction is scheduled to occur from April to June 2024.
Total cost for the sewer line project is estimated at $1.5 million and will include a pump lift station near the southeast corner of the airport.
Eventually, the project could provide sanitary sewer service to approximately 20 parcels within city limits north and south of the airport. Sewer service extension to the south side of U.S. Highway 10 may also be possible in the future.