The Bradford Water Authority on Wednesday awarded a $88,096 contract to a Lawrence County company to replace 12 gate valves.

Mortimers Excavating Inc. of Pulaski will handle the work.

“Locations of the new valves have been determined to focus on areas of the water system that historically have had difficulty in securing an efficient positive shut down,” said Steve Disney, authority executive director.

The three bids were opened Monday. The board approved acceptance of this the Mortimers bid upon recommendation from the authority’s engineer, Bankson Engineers Inc.

The meeting also included Disney providing an update on the Marilla channel repair. He said that construction contracts have been initiated with Dean Construction of Smethport.

“Scheduling of the repair work will take place later in the spring to summer time frame as this project is weather dependent in order to obtain drier conditions,” he said. “This $42,300 repair is necessary due to several of the gabion baskets in the outlet channel becoming dislodged due to heavy rain events.”

Gabion is defined as a basket or cage filled with earth or rocks and used especially in building a support or abutment.

Also at the meeting, Disney reported that upon recommendation from the authority’s consulting forester Ken Kane of Generations Forestry that gates leading to water authority-owned watershed property will remain temporarily closed to avoid damage to the timber roads because of the cold to warm alternating weather periods.

“It is hoped that with the recent change to more moderate weather. Roads can be reopened in the May timeframe,” he said.

Disney also gave an update on the water treatment plant equipment gaseous chlorination operations. He said that the new electronic cylinder scales, sensors and controls, including the emergency shut-off system equipment, has been received.

“We are awaiting (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) permits to arrive in order to finalize installation and place all equipment into operation,” he said.

Disney also reported that the authority has been evaluating residential metering options with major meter manufacturing companies. Additional flow and accuracy data is being requested and will be reviewed.

“If this additional data is acceptable to the authority, the board has approved up to $6,512 for a capital purchase to replace several aging water meters in the system,” Disney said.

The board also approved entering into a payment agreement for a private water line on West Corydon Street.