TIFTON — The City of Tifton is making much-needed enhancements to their wastewater treatment facility through a recent purchase made by the city council.

Council members approved the cumulative $3 million replacement and installation of equipment for the wastewater treatment facility during their meeting Monday.

This project will see the replacement of the facility’s four blowers, devices that feed air into the treatment system to maintain its functionality, and the three largest bypass pumps, which take on the entire water flow of the facility.

Adam Cobb, utilities manager, explained during the council’s July 15 meeting that both pieces of equipment were vital in their own right and necessary to have in top shape. He said the facility would be unable to even treat wastewater without the blowers, of which only two were in operable condition; the bypass pumps were designed to prevent spill and flooding risks should the facility experience any sort of failure.

Cobb reported that the replacements had been split into two contracts, with open bids having been released for both near the end of May.

Contract A, the blower replacement, had received two bids, with Parrish Construction coming out as the lower bidder at $1.278 million. Popco Inc. was determined to be the low bid for Contract B, the bypass pump replacements, at $1.997 million.

Both projects would be funded through ARPA funding, with additional coverage coming from SPLOST.

Larry Lawrence, city chief financial officer, assured the council members that the city would more than be able to afford the project, noting that they were sitting on over $10 million in preparation for a state ARPA water/sewer grant the city was required to match as well as a planned paving project that couldn’t be undertaken until the water and sewage development is completed.