WEIRTON — Construction continues to progress on the expansion of Weirton’s water treatment plant, with a project developed to double its treatment capacity.

Triton Construction was awarded the project last year — with a bid of $39,629,000 — which will increase the capacity of the Weirton water treatment plant from its existing 4 million gallons per day to 8 million gallons per day.

According to Jesse Alden, project manager from the Thrasher Group, crews have reached approximately 19.5 percent completion, with current estimates showing substantial completion being reached around Jan. 18.

“Those are tracking well,” Alden said.

A contingency fund of $1,981,450 also has been available, with some funding withdrawn to assist with change orders.

As part of recent updates for the project, Alden reported Thursday during the Weirton Area Water Board’s regular meeting that Triton and its subcontractors had completed the sheetpile installation in a new filter/clearwell area, with tie-backs being installed to allow for additional excavation, work continues in preparation of a new pre-sedimentation pump station, pipe is being relocated for the installation of a new flocculator/clarifier structure and demolition is taking place in the interior of the existing chemical building, with electrical conduit being installed for new power feeds.

In addition, all borings and screen installations have been completed for new groundwater laterals in the Ranney well at the treatment plant, with Alden reporting the Ranney well is expected to be back online by Feb. 26.

“We’re getting that back online very soon,” Alden said.

The Ranney well is used as part of the water storage system at the plant, as well as the mixing of water during the treatment process.

One obstacle was discovered when excavating for the flocculator, with the discovery of pipes in locations other than where they had been marked.

“For the most part, the utilities were shown, just not in the exact location we found them,” Alden noted, explaining some of the mapping was done when the plant was first constructed in the 1960s.

Some of those lines are being relocated, with more precise mapping provided for all lines once this project is complete.