Repairs to the leachate tank at the Central Peninsula Landfill could be completed as early as the end of summer following the approval of a contract with CCI Industrial Services, LLC. by the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly during their June 15 meeting.

The leachate tank was one of many borough facilities that sustained damage during a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred north of Anchorage in November 2018. The borough approved the use of $450,000 from the general fund for disaster response and recovery efforts after the earthquake.

Leachate comes from water that percolates through landfills and may contain toxic chemicals that modern landfills are designed to prevent from contaminating groundwater or surface water, according to Cornell University’s Waste Management Institute. The borough’s tank collects, treats and delivers water and wastewater.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Federal Disaster Declaration in response to the earthquake through which a Public Assistance, or PA, program was offered to repair public facilities to pre-disaster conditions. Under that program, other eligible expenses associated with earthquake response, recovery and mitigation were eligible for reimbursement through FEMA and the State of Alaska. Repairs to the leachate tank is one of eight projects submitted by the borough to FEMA through the program.

The project application submitted for the tank by the borough says that the leachate tank was leaking at the base throughout the diameter, however, further damage couldn’t be assessed. Kenai Peninsula Borough Community and Fiscal Projects Manager Brenda Ahlberg said Tuesday that the project was challenging to develop because the exact damage was difficult to determine

The borough solicited bids for the project and has agreed to award a contract to CCI Industrial Services, LLC., the only company to respond to the borough’s request, for $262,785.99, which is more than the repairs were initially anticipated to cost. As a result, the borough will appropriate an additional $72,000. That additional appropriation may be eligible for reimbursement through the program

According to the description of the bid solicitation, work begins on July 1 and should be completed before the end of August. Specifically, the borough requested assistance with cleaning, inspecting, repairing and recoating the tank, which is about 30 feet tall and 40 feet wide.

More information about the project can be found on the borough’s website at kpb.us.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.