Huntsville Utilities to invite bids for $100m water treatment plant in US

US-based Huntsville Utilities is seeking a proposal to build a $100m water treatment plant beside the Tennessee River.

The plant will be built near Guntersville Dam in Marshall County, Alabama, approximately eight miles from the existing water lines of the utility firm.

Huntsville Utilities plans to break ground on the project in early 2015 with planned operation starting in February 2018.

Once operational, the facility is expected to meet Madison County’s water requirements for the next 50 years, reports The Huntsville Times.

Daily clean water production from the plant is estimated around 24 million gallons.

The facility can be expanded to treat up to 96 million of river water each day, if demands in the area increase.

The city-owned utility will be inviting bids from six general contractors who have been pre-qualified for development of the facility, according to Huntsville Utilities spokesperson Joe Gehrdes.

The city council has appointed Tetra Tech engineering firm for overseeing the construction of the project for three years under a $3.7m deal.

The utility firm will borrow money for construction of the plant.

Transferring the treated water to Madison County through underground pipes, as well as upgrades for the water delivery network in the Hampton Cove-Big Cove area, will cost the utility a further $25m, according to Gehrdes.