Wastewater System in Park to be Upgraded

Dick Anderson Construction of Bozeman, Montana, submitted a winning bid of $4,685,000 to replace the existing plant, which is over 50 years old.  Architecture and engineering design work was done by Tetra Tech, Inc., of Aurora, Colorado.

The current wastewater treatment plant was built in 1959. It was not designed to meet current demands or to operate year ‘round.  The project calls for building a completely new wastewater treatment plant and modifying or rehabilitating supporting infrastructure.

While some limited site work may begin this fall, the bulk of the construction work will begin in Spring 2010, with completion slated for Summer 2012.

The park also recently awarded a $278,825 contract to CXT Inc. of Spokane, Washington, for installation of fifteen vault toilets in locations across the park. Locations include areas of high visitor use where additional facilities are necessary or new facilities are needed, and the replacement of existing pit toilets.

The new facilities are easy to clean, sanitary, increase capacity and incorporate “Sweet Smelling Technology” which improves ventilation and decrease odor. Installation is set to begin in November 2009.

The park has already completed two Recovery Act projects. Contractors removed and recycled the asphalt and repaired the surface of an 11-mile section of road between the Lewis River Bridge and the park’s South Entrance this past summer. Total cost of the project was nearly $1.2 million. Earlier in the year, $37,000 was spent to replace a failing steam line used for heating historic structures at Park Headquarters in Mammoth Hot Springs.

Yellowstone National Park is receiving $14,735,000 in Recovery Act funding for 14 separate projects. These projects are part of a $750 million investment in nearly 800 projects throughout the National Park Service, which was announced in late April by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

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