Bids for Lansford-Coaldale Joint Water Authority's $1.7 million tank and water main project came in just below projections.

But the work, which includes refurbishing and painting Lansford's 1.5 million gallon storage tank, building a new 715,239 gallon storage tank, replacing the 125,000-gallon storage tank in Coaldale and replacing the water main along East Abbott Street, may not start until spring and is expected to take about a year to complete.Bids were opened last Wednesday, said water authority Chairman John Surma."We're very pleased with the bids," he said.The work is necessary: the water tanks are 30 years old and are rusting and corroded and the water main is too small and too old to ensure sufficient flow to fight fires.Corrosion Control Corp., New Castle, Delaware, submitted the lowest of four bids, $377,900, to refurbish and paint the 1.5 million gallon water tank in Lansford.

P.S.I. Pumping Solutions, Inc., York Springs, Adams County, submitted the lowest of four bids, $556,000, to build a 715,239-gallon tank in Lansford and replace the 125,000-gallon tank in Coaldale. Chilewski Enterprises, Fleetville, Lackawanna County, submitted the lowest of two bids, $16,700, to do the related electrical work.Bellview Pump Sales and Service, Walnutport, submitted the lowest of six bids, $542,120, to replace the water main along East Abbott and Pardee streets.In addition, the project cost will include engineering fees, Surma said.The authority has gotten a $2.1 million financing agreement from PennVEST, "but with the way the bids are we won't have to use it all," he said.The loan closing is scheduled for Oct. 20. That may be too late in the season for contractors to start work.Further, the authority has also applied for federal stimulus grant money.The water main part of the project will require excavation of a short stretch at Walnut and Abbott streets. The section was recently repaved after Lansford's $2.9 million sewer separation project. In addition, the water main project will require excavation of 3,100 feet of East Abbott Street, Surma said.The boroughs use an average of 700,000-800,00 gallons of water a day.