We have a community well with 53 homes on it in desperate need of upgrading. We had a meeting yesterday and the system is going to engineering to the tune of $58k.

The concrete pump house is in good shape but we need a new 12000 gallon holding tank, filtration system, radon mitigation etc. Estimated costs are in the $280k range for the construction end of the project (separate of the $58k engineering costs).


After engineering, the project is going up to bid. If anybody has any expertise on the subject we could really use it. None of the members of the board or people in the neighborhood specialize in this and I kind of feel like our shirts are being pulled over our head. Whether you can confirm or counter some of this info or are interested to bid the project, please let me know.

We are being told the costs associated in material/construction are:

12000 gallon tank: $25000
Filtration system: $40000
Radon Mitigation System: $75000

I don't remember where the additional costs come from but I imagine it's pressure tanks, pumps, plumbing etc. All this work is at the pump house, nothing to do with the lines/pipes to the houses etc.

I can point you in the direction for the radon system . I'll message you

That is almost $7000 per home. How much would it be to put in your own well and kiss the shared system goodbye?

How close is CT water's system to your neighborhood? It might be worth it to see if they are interested in adding your Homeowner's Association to their system and abandoning your system. You should at least discuss with them before spending all that money.

Not sure if this helps or not.

Not a bad idea.
You get a well company to cut you a 53 home discount. Might be well within reason.

CTWater wants ~$1,000,000 per mile to hook up so they are way out of the question..

Independent wells are out of the question for now I'm told. There's a slew of reasons but namely, Tolland wont give a permit to drill new wells and you can't get out of the Water Association. It would screw the rest of the houses that couldn't afford to foot the bill of the new well. My first suggestion was just that,"what's stopping me from getting my own well?"


There is no way around it, the system is getting updated. We're getting a state loan (from some commission specifically for these community well systems) with a 2% interest rate. It does essentially amount to $6400 per home. I suggested we all just put it up and keep the rates the same or get individual personal loans but not everybody can do it and we can't force them.




To me, it seems like we already know what we need, so why are we paying $58k for engineering? It's not a brand new system where there is nothing existing, we are just updating our current highly outdated equipment. In my opinion, it sounds like there is already a design. We just need a stamp.

Secondly, I don't understand why the Radon mitigation is $75k.


I'm hoping someone with some expertise will come along and explain it better for us.

That was exactly my suggestion but it's a no-go we're told.

If all you need is a P.E. to review the drawings and stamp them I think I might have a solution. PM me if interested.

As for the Connecticut Water hook up. I would call myself and discuss with someone. I never take anyones word for stuff like this.

That seems excessive, but I guess it would dependent on the terrain.  


I know some people at CT Water.  I'll see what they say.



Do you know where the closest main is to your association?

Over a mile I believe, and the neighborhood would be another mile to cover. There's not a chance we're going "city water". It's mean digging up the neighborhood roads and some main roads to get here etc

Did you speak directly with a sales person at CT water? That sounds ridiculous. I have heard of CNG runnning a main to neighborhoods free if enough people are willing to sign on to be hooked up. If you could get all 53 people to sign on for city water I don't see how CT water would charge ridiculous amounts to get a whole neighborhood as customers.

As far as needing an Engineer's sign-off, well that might just be up to the town.
If the equipment you have is sized properly, but just needs updating, I see no reason for an Engineer.

Is the Radon system existing or is that the quoted price for new construction?  What is the Radon mitigation for, the water or the pump-house?
If it as old system, what are you having done to it? Trenching and replacing stone? New fans?
If it is to remove Radon form the water, is it a Charcoal system or Aeration?

The $40k (for filtration) is for what, the water into the holding tank? What are you filtering? I'm hoping this price includes pumps and new plumbing (pipes fittings etc)

What kind of tank; FRP, cement, steel or Poly?
Is it inside, does it need insulation and heat tracing?

I've referred folks to dalmik well drilling. They're out of Putnam and typically dont go west of the CT river for small jobs... But this is no small job of which you speak.
If you gave them a call, perhaps this project is lucrative enough to draw their interest. They've certainly done community wells before.

This neighborhood is just a circle, it's not going to lead to more work or a new territory. There's no growth opportunity after us. CT Water isn't even actually close to us, it'd be some other company but I can't remember the name. I was just letting the name slide for conversations sake but the nearest line is nearly a mile away, maybe even more. It'd involve digging up a large stretch of RT30, the an entire tertiary road and then our circle.


All the homes on that tertiary road have their own wells and probably the homes on 30 as well (but I don't know that for sure). So they're not even gonna pick up the homes on the mile+ to get to us.


It's not happening, there's not even a remote possibility. The only way it would happen is if we were to neglect the system to the point the water was deemed non-potable, in which case the state would have to step in. But by that time, since we didn't have potable water, our homes would be "non-livable" spaces, unsellable and possibly condemned.

The state wants the Engineer I believe, because they want to know exactly what they are giving "us" the loan for.

Not all of the equipment is sozed properly. Our holding tank is far too small, as is one of the two pressure tanks. The other one is dead, the new one is too small.

Radon mitigation is going to be new construction. Not sure the type, kind of looking for that info now. None of the board are quite sure what's what with this stuff, they're just other neighbors of mine and it's all volunteer. One of the guys is a great guy and he's all over it but I get a sense he's all on his own. I'm going to join the board and get involved I think, if for nothing else than to give him a hand.


ETA: fat fingered the submit button trying to scroll up


It is to remove radon from the water. We are currently right at the recommended levels for mitigation.


The filter is a manganese something something filter (paperwork is in my truck, I can follow up in the morning). We have high levels of mangenese and also for sediment. We need new holding tanks, pressure tanks, waste water tank etc.


They talked about a concrete tank but one of the other neighbors brought up using plastic of some sort, and he sells them at his work so he might be able to work something out.

The pump house is 100% concrete. We want all the tanks buried I believe.




Keep in mind these are The Boards estimates, not estimates from contractors bidding the job. A budget needs to be created so we took the highest numbers to be safe and budget for that, rather than have to come back and raise bills multiple times.

Holy shit that's alot of $$.

Any possibility on getting city water connections?

I'm stomach sick for you.

Some of the prices seem like they're right in the ballpark.

The engineering fee looks high. It's a water system. There should be minimal ground work and it's an existing site. They'll run some calculations and put "Adhere to local and state codes" on the prints.  17% of the project cost to engineering? We're finishing a job, for a huge US energy company, that's into the $2M range. The engineering firm works all over the world, is publicly traded, and has an 11 figure revenue. Their bill was less than 17%. Unless that $58k includes a complete project management package, I'd get other bids.

I'm not on the up and up w/ radon mitigation, although I have it in my home, but it doesn't seem that complicated. Not at least $75k complicated. From what I've read, removing it from water is easy. Either a charcoal filtration or aeration. If you're aerating it, you just need to vent it properly from building. Some PVC and a fan. Really, it's just that easy. After all, the pump house  is equal to a small dwelling so the national average of $1200 (high being $2500) should apply. An aeration system is about twice that cost.

The cost of the tank is about right. We install 11k gal (average size) FRP tanks, w/ insulation and tracing. Minus the agitator and support, they average $55k. A 12k gal poly tank, I'd think to be under $20k. Maybe the $25k is for a lined concrete tank?

Pumps, piping, filters, valves, labor? Yeah, $40k is a good estimate.

Who knows what electrical nightmare you run into as well.

I've got just the fella for you.  No kidding.  He owns and runs a number of small water companies her in CT.  He also ran the Prison's systems iirc.  He not only runs but is an engineer that can design everything from soup to nuts and will also set up monitoring.  He and I go way back and have hunted and fished together.  I met him years ago when I was on the board of the Hazardville Water System and he was the manager.  He also lectures at the local colleges on hydraulics and water treatment.  So, you really could not find someone more qualified.  If you're interested, shoot me an email and I'll provide you with his name and contact info.  Oh yeah, he's a good shooter, too.  Right up your ally.

Rome

my radon system was 3k for my home and its aeration system. its not complicated, but would need to stand up to the 58 homes turning their water on and off all the time. the system would almost be running non stop during the daytime. my system has 3 solenoids which activate anytime water is pulled and activates the bubbler an fan. it would have to be a robust system to work that way for a community set up. i still dont think its a 75k system

Thanks a ton for the reply.

Yes, I believe they were talking about a lined concrete tank, buried.



Thanks, Rome, for the contact info.


Next meeting is the 29th andI believe the engineering firm is Teigh & Bond (sp?) is supposed to be there. I'll update here when I find out more.