Approving a $2.3-million design and engineering contract, Wildwood commissioners Monday took the first step to upgrading the city’s current sewage treatment plant and building a new one next to it, capable of handling six million gallons of wastewater daily.

The contract with CPH Engineers covers all pre-construction phases of both plants, including engineering design, construction loan applications, permitting and preparing site plans.

Wildwood’s rapid growth in both the Villages of Southern Oaks and due to apartment construction elsewhere in the city have spurred the need for increased capacity from the 40-year-old treatment plant.

“We’re growing a little faster than we anticipated so this goes on the front burner real quick,” said Mayor Ed Wolf.

The current plant processes about 1.7 million gallons of wastewater daily, a 16.7 percent increase from year ago.

Although the plant was designed to handle 3.5 million gallons a day, it’s capacity is 2.8 million due to inefficiency. It is expected to reach capacity in about three years.

Construction could begin early next year, even before design and engineering work have been completed.

Last month, commissioners heard a report from Benjamin Fries, a CPH vice president, on the status of the current plant and a blueprint for expansion.

He recommended a two-pronged approach that includes upgrading the current plant and building a new plant on adjacent city-owned property.

CPH Engineers of Sanford also was hired earlier this year to prepare the report and commissioners voted Monday to accept the findings.

Fries said the current plant can be more efficient with piping changes that would distribute wastewater equally between two oxidation ditches.

The new plant would be built in phases and the old plant would continue operating until it is fully completed. Then the old plant would be demolished.

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