Moline on Tuesday officially launched its multiyear upgrade of its South Slope Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The plant’s facilities, between 40 and 60 years old, are wearing out and it has become challenging for South Slope to keep up with changing standards and requirements, city officials have said.
Moline has hired IHC Construction Companies to carry out the upgrade at a cost of about $113 million.
The city held a ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday morning at the plant, about 60 people attended.
The groundbreaking was a celebration of the city staff and elected officials’ efforts to plan, responsibly fund and execute the project, Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said.
“So I am here to thank everyone for bringing this to fruition for the betterment of our community,” Rayapati said.
By starting the South Slope project now, the city is prioritizing what is essential over what some might consider exciting, the mayor said.
There are other projects being planned, including the development of the downtown riverfront, she said.
“But this is an essential function for the people of Moline,” Rayapati said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October and expected to be complete in November of 2029, Laura Williamson, Moline’s director of utilities, said at the event.
“Soon you will start to see construction trailers and fencing being erected in the coming weeks to prepare the site,” Williamson said.
The plant will remain operational while the upgrades are underway, so the work will go in phases, she said.
Moline’s plan involves replacing much of South Slope’s older buildings, equipment and systems with more modern equivalents.
The project will also eliminate one of the plant’s two bacteria systems. They introduce microorganisms into the wastewater to help clean it.
The system to be removed is considered obsolete. South Slope will continue to use the other method, but that system’s older apparatus will be replaced.
“This is a kickoff to a legacy project for our community, and it was really the forethought and the leadership from our council that brought us here,” Williamson said at Tuesday’s event.
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