Tyler City Council approves contract to clear sanitary sewer right of way

The Tyler City Council voted on Wednesday to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with Lone Star Land Enhancement in the amount of $3,678,365.44 for the Sanitary Sewer Right of Way Clearing. The Right of Way clearing project is prioritized by the current condition of the easements and by determining how urgent the need to access the sanitary sewer assets associated with the easement. In all, the project identifies 394,486 linear feet of easements needing to be cleared. This project is funded with water utility bond. The City Council also voted on Wednesday to authorize the City Manager to execute a design contract with KSA Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $467,000 for the design, bidding, construction administration and inspection of a new administration building at the Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The existing building was constructed in 1966. Over the years, large amounts of hydrogen sulfide have been introduced to the office and lab environment due to the location of the raw sewage entry point into the wastewater plant, and the building’s proximity to the trickling filters and primary clarifiers. Although hydrogen sulfide levels are closely monitored to ensure safe working conditions for Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) employees and are within OSHA parameters, research suggests long-term exposure to low-level amounts of hydrogen sulfide can still be harmful to workers.