The city of Ouray will pay an engineering firm more than $220,000 to design a water treatment plant as it faces a strict federally mandated deadline to bring the plant online.

City councilors unanimously agreed Monday night to award a contract to Lakewood-based Element Engineering, who will not only design the facility, but assist the city in obtaining the necessary permits from the state Department of Public Health and Environment and bring on board a company to build the plant.

The city is requi...