Agenda - 04-13-1999 - 3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FY 1999 -2000 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF CONMSSIONERS PROPOSED GOAL 03/31/99 Staff costs involved in expanding the Efland sewer systen are estimated to range from $75,000 to $100,000 over the next three years and will be incurred by the County departments of Budget; Finance, Purchasing and County Manager. Engineering costs for preparation of environmental assessments and other reports, preparation of construction plans (with associated survey expenses) and specifications will be in the $150,000 to $330,000 range, depending on the consultant's scope of service and the extent of the expansion project (number of phases, etc.). Construction inspection and administration may add another $50,000 to $150,000 in engineering costs. Overall costs for construction, contingencies, engineering, surveying and legal and easement acquisition costs are estimated to range from $1,200,000 to more than $4,100,000, depending on the overall or ultimate scope of the project (additional phases and the extent - if any - of sewer construction to and within the Buckhorn Road EDD and the Perry Hills neighborhood) and the impact of the Neuse River water quality protection regulations on construction activities along McGowan Creek. The viability of any sewer expansion project beyond the remaining portion of Phase I and Phase II depends on the County expending funds for the additional engineering design services required to attract grant funds; the reallocation of bond funds or the acquisition of;grant-funds sufficient to cover up to fifty percent of overall project costs for additional expansion areas or phases; and the development of a 'service arealcustomer base of sufficient economic capacity to bear the significant expense of constructing and operating an expanded sewer system.- The passage of the state utility infrastructure bond has injected a significant sum of money into the Clean Water Revolving Doan and Grant Fund program. The availability of additional funds in this program increases Orange'County's chances, of-acquirmi g°ggratif and low interest loan funding for expansion of the sewer system beyond the Phase I and II sections envisioned in the County's own Efland Sewer Expansion bond issue. If the project does qualify for state grants, development costs which remain to be paid; after County bond and grant funds are expended can be financed through the state's low interest revolving loans with payback generated by strategies which include sewer tax districts, assessments and adjustment of sewer use rates. These .cost estimates may change, depending upon factors including the final design of the sewer system and extent of the service area, fluctuations in construction and materials costs, and grant funding requirements. The lower end of the cost range shown above reflects Phase I and II expansion of the sewer system as envisioned in Hazen and Sawyer's 1986 revision to the Efland Sewer Mater Plan. The upper end of the cost range reflects the expansion of the sewer for all master plan phases of the Efland sewer system and to and within the Buckhorn Road EDD.