The Batavia, Ill.-based discount supermarket chain announced nearly two years ago that it planned to build a 375,000-square-foot distribution center just off I-85.

Officials have said Aldi will invest about $25 million and eventually hire about 100 workers with wages ranging from $12 to $15 per hour.

On Monday, commissioners unanimously approved the contract with Caldwell Tanks Inc. of Louisville, Ky.

Caldwell has nine months to finish the project.

In addition to providing water to the distribution center, county officials pointed out that it will open up hundreds of acres for development.

County officials said they hope to have water to the Aldi site at I-85 and Old Union Church Road by late summer. County Manager Tim Russell said Aldi officials have indicated they hope to have the building sufficiently complete and ready for sprinkler testing by that time.

The water tank is part of a three-phase project to provide water to the Aldi site. Spencer and the county are jointly paying the costs.

County Manager Tim Russell said the entire project will cost $1.6 million, $200,000 less than engineers estimated more than two years ago.

Spencer will pay slightly less than $400,000.

Russell said Spencer may ask the county to finance its $400,000 share as part of the overall project and then make annual payments to the county.

Commissioner Dave Rowland questioned who will actually own the tank and lines, once the project is complete.

Russell referred to an agreement between Spencer and the county. If the county is in the water business by the time the project is paid off in 15 years, the county will own the tank and lines falling in county jurisdiction, he said.

Otherwise, the county could offer the tank and lines to the town at a “fair and equitable price.” Russell said the language was put in to avoid repeating the county’s “Rockwell experience.”

In that case, the county paid for a water line from Salisbury to Rockwell, and Rockwell gave it to Salisbury.

Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain questioned why the county couldn’t get three bids.

Don Conner, director of environmental services, said county officials sent bid packages to nine different contractors. On the first scheduled opening date, they had only two bids.

They re-advertised and sent notices to the nine prospective bidders. At the second scheduled opening, they again had only two bids and could legally open them.

Conner said the two bidders, Caldwell Tanks and Phoenix Fabricators, are the two leading water tank builders in the nation and continuously bid against each other. Phoenix Fabricators submitted a bid of $1,312,000.

Rowland asked about who inspects the tank construction and was surprised to find that the county does not inspect water tanks or cell towers.