Kodiak orders soil testing as sewer bid more than doubles estimate

Kodiak must replace Lift Station 5 by Dec. 31, 2026, under an Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation mandate issued after a 2019 force-main failure spilled sewer effluent into Mission Lake and cost more than $250,000 in emergency repairs. The only construction bid submitted for the project came in at more than twice the engineer's estimate.

The Kodiak City Council voted 5-0 Thursday to hire PND Engineers Inc. for up to $150,958 to drill more test holes, moving $100,000 from the project's construction account to pay for it.

The city opened bids June 30 and received one, from Brecken Construction LLC, at $16,319,570. The engineer's estimate had put the project at $7,207,692. One major cost driver is excavation and soldier piling needed to hold back soil more than 35 feet deep. The additional test data should help size the temporary shoring and could lower engineering and construction costs.

"The whole purpose of the lift station is 80% of our sewage goes through Lift Station 5 before it goes to the wastewater treatment plant," city contract engineer Chris Lynch said.

A drill rig is already on the island. Initial results are expected Sept. 17, with a full report due in October.