The city of Cumming is getting another water tower.

Councilmembers approved 5-0 during their meeting Tuesday to accept a $7.5 million bid from John D. Stephens Inc., that would complete the city’s multipart project to improve water delivery to the south area of the city.

The installation of 36-inch water pipeline along Castleberry Road, Hutchinson Road and Deputy Bill Cantrell Memorial Road would be the fourth and final phase of the project, one which Cumming Utilities Manager Jon Heard said is one of the biggest the city has undertaken in almost 10 years.

The final portion of the pipeline would lead into a 2-million-gallon elevated tank near Ga. 400, the likes of which make for good city landmarks.

“It’s almost a monument as you enter Cumming to see this water tank that welcomes you to Cumming,” Heard said. “It adds character to a town.”

Heard said the project began because the city’s water pipes were not large enough to efficiently pump water from the city’s treatment plant in its northern service area to its southern service area where demand had increased, particularly with Northside Hospital Forsyth and businesses along Market Place Boulevard. An engineering firm helped the city determine that 36-inch pipe would work best, and the city divided the project into phases knowing it would be difficult to get one contractor to perform all the work.

Still, the final phase brought on more intrigue than expected. Heard said six requests for bids on the project, but only John D. Stephens Inc. made a submission at the bid opening.

“For me, that was the first time in 27 years I ever had a project where we only had one bidder show up with a sealed bid,” Heard said.

Heard said the contractors that didn’t submit a bid provided varied reasons for their decision. Some were busy with other work. Another said they couldn’t find qualified workers to build the additional crews it would take to do the project. Another said the project was too complicated.

Heard acknowledged the size of the pipe and the area of the work makes for a complex project.

“It requires a higher level of expertise of contractors,” Heard said. “That narrows the field.”

Still, Heard was satisfied at Tuesday’s meeting with both the contractor and the bid. He said the entire project, water tower and all, will be completed by October 2019. The new water tower would be double the capacity of the city's other prominent one near Exit 15 on Ga. 400. Heard said it would also have space for advertising.

“I’m thankful that we’re moving forward,” Heard said.