Water board updates: $5.6 million North Berkeley water‑line relocation and river plant expansion to 10 million gpd

Commissioner Hardy reported progress on major water system projects during the Berkeley County Commission meeting July 31, including a contract award and a detailed presentation on planned plant expansions. Hardy said the contract to relocate a 43‑inch water line from the South Berkeley water plant was awarded to Snyder Environmental for about $5,600,000. He said Snyder has begun clearing property and will perform bores under the railroad to place the new line. Why it matters: Relocating a primary trunk line and expanding treatment capacity are steps to serve growth and to provide redundancy during maintenance; such projects typically affect rates, construction schedules and multiyear capital plans. Hardy and meeting presenters also reviewed work on the South Berkeley facility. Jim Ouellette showed drone photography and engineering images outlining a plan to expand river plant capacity from 6,000,000 to 10,000,000 gallons per day and to add finished‑water storage. Presentations showed substantial concrete and rebar work for stand‑up walls, a 1,000,000‑gallon finished‑water storage tank and a proposed second 1,000,000‑gallon tank to allow the system to store roughly 2,000,000 gallons of finished water for maintenance or offline periods. Hardy described the construction as “phenomenal” and said the water board is “staying ahead and meeting the challenge.” No formal county vote on the Snyder Environmental contract was recorded in the commission minutes at the July 31 meeting; the matter was reported as part of board updates.