Batavia City Council received an April update on the ongoing wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project showing significant on‑site progress and most line items on track financially.

City engineer Jerry Ruth presented photos and a status report showing interior work (HVAC, ductwork, sprinkler piping, process piping), exterior brickwork at the headworks, and substantial progress on primary and final clarifiers. Ruth said final clarifier 703 had received electrical and water line upgrades and that clarifier mechanisms and launder covers for others were in place.

On costs, Ruth reported the contractor had billed just over $36,000,000 of the $42,600,000 construction contract; combined with engineering costs, the project invoiced and paid figure was described in the presentation as about $37,500,000. Ruth said construction invoicing and payments were at about 85% completion even though the project schedule showed 58% elapsed, indicating work progressing ahead of the schedule in the contract. Ruth noted Change Order 3 had been submitted and executed and explained the change orders fall into categories such as cash allowances, scope reductions, owner requests and unforeseen conditions. After accounting for used cash allowances, Ruth said the net add to construction costs so far was roughly $232,000 (about 0.5% of construction costs).

Council members praised staff and contractors for maintaining plant operations during construction and for the qualifications of current plant staff. Ruth and council briefly discussed the plant’s structure numbering system and clarified that the numbering reflects site series rather than total count.

Ruth said he expects final completion possibly later this year but offered a conservative external estimate around 2026 after winter, and said he would not finalize a completion date in writing until closer to substantial completion.

The presentation included multiple project photos (headworks, clarifiers, sludge handling building), a short cost‑change summary, and a schedule slide. Ruth invited council members to contact him with questions and said visiting tours from other municipalities have been discussed once construction reaches an appropriate demonstration point.