A contractor’s guaranteed maximum price for Ouray’s new wastewater treatment plant is about $1 million higher than expected, prompting city leaders to explore whether another contractor can beat the price.

Officials with Moltz Construction, the construction manager at-risk for the design of the plant, presented City Administrator Silas Clarke and Public Works Director Joe Coleman a proposed price of $19.5 million during an Aug. 3 meeting. That figure includes a price of $18.6 million and an a...