wastewater treatment

Sewage Plant Contractor Sues Former Employee

By ARLnow.com

A top manager in charge of the project to upgrade Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant embezzled nearly $5 million from the project’s contractor, according to a lawsuit filed in St. Louis two weeks ago.

Alberici Contractors Inc. says it did not over-charge Arlington County for its work on the $568 million project as a result of the embezzlement. Instead, the company says that the embezzlement cut into its own profits on the project.

The St. Louis Business Journal reported today that Jeff Oliver, the company’s project director for the sewage plant upgrade and expansion, is being sued for $4.8 million. Alberici says Oliver conspired with two subcontractors to over-bill the company.

Alberici’s internal investigation reportedly found that no county employees were involved. In a statement, Arlington County said that it is launching an investigation to verify that the embezzlement did not cost taxpayer dollars and did not involve any county employees.

“We have a special fiduciary responsibility for public funds,” Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan said in the statement. “We will do everything we can to make sure that the project and Arlington taxpayers were not hurt by these perpetrators.”

The project is nearly complete and Oliver “is no longer associated with the project,” the county said.

Expect “Increase in Odor” Near Sewage Plant

By ARLnow.com

The smell around the Water Pollution Control Plant in South Arlington is going to get worse before it gets better.

In a note to neighbors today, managers say that they’re “working diligently to reduce the excessive odors that were intermittently emitted from the Plant over the past few weeks.”

However, the work that must be done to solve the problem over the next month — cleaning ducts, performing maintenance activities, modifying equipment for rapid troubleshooting — will “likely cause a temporary increase in odor.”

“The Water Pollution Control Plant strives to provide the best level of customer service and we apologize for any inconvenience,” plant representatives wrote. “In the future we will attempt to perform the duct cleaning activities during the winter months to minimize the impact on the local residents.”

Managers also say they will be “refreshing staff on odor control procedures.”

Contractor Vacates County-Owned Four Mile Run Drive Property

By ARLnow.com

Believe it or not, this run-down building at 3600 South Four Mile Run Drive has only been vacant for a couple of weeks.

Alberici Constructors, which recently wrapped up its work on the expansion of Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant, had occupied the building and the surrounding lot and the  for nearly four years. Although the property is now vacant, it’s still leased through early next year, when the plant’s final construction phase is expected to conclude.

The building and a large, adjacent lot have been owned by Arlington County’s Parks Department since July 17, 2002, when it was purchased with bond money for $3.6 million, according to county media relations manager Mary Curtius.

Curtius says a decision has not yet been made on what will happen to the 75,000 square foot property once it’s returned to the Parks Department. The property is across the street from an existing park, the county’s 22.4 acre Jennie Dean Park.