The City of Marion is taking another step toward repairing its troubled water system, advertising for bids on four new projects to be funded through federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.
According to a legal notice running this week in the Times-Standard-Herald, sealed bids will be received at Marion City Hall, 123 East Jefferson Street, until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Bids will be opened and read publicly at that time.
The work is part of DWSRF Project No. FS010218-03, financed through the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The notice breaks the work into four separate contracts:
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Contract No. 6 calls for installing telemetry upgrades on the system and providing at least one day of training for staff.
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Contract No. 7 would add new bulk chemical storage tanks and feed equipment for caustic and coagulant, chemicals used to treat and clarify drinking water, at the water plant.
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Contract No. 8 would replace an existing vertical backwash turbine pump with a new unit and make the necessary electrical connections.
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Contract No. 9 covers demolition and removal of outdated or unused infrastructure, including the old lime silo, an abandoned well head and its concrete pedestal, and a diesel tank and pedestal.
Engineers on the project are Utility Engineering Consultants, LLC, of Homewood. Contractors interested in bidding are directed to contact the firm for bid documents and additional details.
The work comes as Marion continues to grapple with longstanding problems in its water and sewer systems and increased scrutiny from state regulators. City officials have said ARPA-funded projects like these are critical to stabilizing the system and bringing it back into compliance.
