Council opts for larger capacity ground storage tank at airport

The city of Cairo will soon invest just over $500,000 for a new ground storage tank for the new water plant being constructed at the Cairo Municipal Airport.
Bids for the project were opened on July 9 and presented to the city council Monday night for its consideration.
As an alternate bid, the bidders were requested to bid on a 750,000 gallon capacity tank in addition to the 500,000 gallon tank.
The results indicate the city could increase its storage capacity for $40,501.
The low bid for the project was submitted by Precon Corporation of Newberry, Fla. at $486,088.00 for the 500,000 gallon tank and $526,589.00 for the 750,000 gallon tank.
“The public works director and I are recommending the 750,000 gallon tank. It will provide us more storage capacity and better serve the city’s long term needs,” Cairo City Manager Chris Addleton said Monday night.
Once the notice to proceed is issued, Precon will have 90 days to complete the project, according to Addleton.
The only other bidder was The Crom Corporation of Gainesville, Fla., which bid $595,807.00 for the 500,000 gallon tank and $699,218.00 for the 750,000 gallon tank.
The council voted unanimously to accept the bid of $526,589.00 from Precon corporation for the 750,000 gallon storage tank.
The ground storage tank is one part of the new water plant to be built at the airport that will have the capability to treat for naturally-occurring arsenic in city drinking water.