MONTAGUE — The town is starting off the new year by approving a $194,850 contract with National Water Main Cleaning Co. for a rehabilitation project focusing on 53 manholes in the Turners Falls and Millers Falls villages.

The contract was unanimously approved during Monday’s Selectboard meeting, alongside a $114,900 contract for engineering services from Wright-Pierce throughout the duration of construction. The project is funded through a $500,000 grant, awarded to the town in December 2023, from the Executive Office of Economic Development.

This project comes after Wright-Pierce conducted a study of 51 manholes in Turners Falls in 2022 as the first phase of a larger sewer system project that the town will continue for years to come. The 2022 study concluded that work should be done to address structural deficiencies and possible infiltration and inflow into the town’s sewer system from excess stormwater entering the manholes, a problem that can reduce the capacity of existing sewer infrastructure. The two Millers Falls manholes were then added to the project at the request of the Montague Department of Public Works.

The bidding process opened in December with three applicants, and National Water Main Cleaning Co. was recommended by Wright-Pierce and approved by the Selectboard on Dec. 16.

The additional $114,900 to Wright-Pierce was brought to the Selectboard for consideration on Monday. Vice Chair Matthew Lord mentioned there had been discussion with Wright-Pierce about the addition of a site supervisor to make sure each manhole is completed correctly. The amount would cover the cost of having a site supervisor for an estimated 760 to 770 hours, along with other costs.

Even with $114,900 being spent on Wright-Pierce’s services, the grant covers the entire cost of the project. Chair Richard Kuklewicz said Wright-Pierce is a good company and it makes sense to have someone monitoring an important project.

“This is such an important project on some pretty important structures,” Kuklewicz said. “So to me, although it seems like a large sum … it does, to me, make sense.”

Town Administrator Walter Ramsey said the additional cost will also mean Montague Department of Public Works employees can focus on other projects while this one is being completed, though Kuklewicz added that the DPW will still be kept informed on the project as it progresses.

According to Assistant Town Administrator Chris Nolan-Zeller, the work needs to be completed by June 30, as outlined in the contract. The project will start within the next month.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.