Drilling of Geothermal Wells Started at New Elementary School
Drilling geothermal wells at the site of the new Fort River Elementary School is expected to be completed by mid-summer. Photo: amherstma.gov
Ten of the 84 geothermal wells that will provide heating and cooling at the new elementary school have been drilled with the remainder expected to be completed by mid summer. The rest of the report at the monthly Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC) meeting held on June 20, 2025 was that things are progressing according to schedule with framing beginning to give more shape to the building.
Invoices for the designers, owner’s project manager, and builders were approved for a total to date of $21.7 million. Another recurring fee is for Allied Testing, an independent third party consultant that ensures that construction quality meets design and code. This includes evaluation of soil compaction, concrete strength and flatness/levelness, and structural steel connections. Change orders total a little under a quarter of a million dollars and have so far been for overtime and winter construction necessary to keep on schedule after delays from the bid protest.
ESBC members will have access to the first site tour on July 22, 2025 at 4 p.m. The next meeting will be on July 18, 2025 on Zoom at 12:30 p.m.
