Collier adds $1.2M to contract after wells lose capacity

Collier County commissioners approved adding $1.22 million to a well-testing, drilling and maintenance contract after significant buildup inside two deep-injection wells reduced production capacity from 20 million gallons per day to about 6 mgd. 

The “fouling” — a buildup of sand, silt, minerals or biological growth — was discovered during state-required Mechanical Integrity Testing at the South County Regional Water Treatment Plant on White Lake Boulevard in Golden Gate Estates, where two Class 1 deep-injection wells dispose of reverse-osmosis concentrate generated during the water-treatment process. 

Agreeing it was an emergency situation, the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 8 unanimously approved adding $1,122,548.08 and 136 days to Texas-based Layne Christensen Company’s contract, increasing its work order from $680,472.62 to $1,803,020.70 to cover video inspection, pressure testing, well rehabilitation through acidification, MIT and related services. 

Public Utilities Director Matt McLean told commissioners that regulatory reviews required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection every five years involve videotaping the deep-injection wells, which showed “significant fouling” that affected production. 

“We do these mechanical integrity testings all the time,” McLean said. “We currently have 10 operational deep injection wells and several more coming for the utility. We have not seen this type of fouling before.” 

Layne Christensen, a global provider of water management, drilling and construction services, was awarded the contract in June, a $547,580 work order that included a $49,780 allowance for unforeseen conditions. The severity of the fouling could not be determined until Layne completed the initial video inspection and testing last month, which revealed “substantially more fouling than anticipated,” Water Division Director Howard Brogdon wrote in a memo to commissioners. 

As a result, the county’s engineer of record determined additional acid treatment was necessary, and the first change order used the $49,780 owner’s allowance and increased the work order to $680,472.62. Further testing showed significant fouling, the memo said, warning the wells will not pass the required MITs without further rehabilitation. 

The reduced production of about 6 mgd, along with the approaching FDEP compliance deadline, “presents an emergency operational situation requiring prompt corrective action,” the memo said. 

Class 1 deep-injection wells use heavily regulated underground pipes to pump treated municipal wastewater and nonhazardous industrial waste deep below drinking water sources, between 1,000 and 4,500 feet underground, FDEP records show. 

Commissioner Rick LoCastro said he’s “not a big supporter of these out-of-the-box amendments to contracts” and wanted reassurance that it was an unforeseen problem. 

McLean said the county conducts MITs regularly but had never seen this before. As a result, he said, the county established additional protocols in its after-action reviews to ensure it won’t happen again and projects are better scoped to include more frequent videotaping of wells beyond regulatory requirements. A review of the contract and scope, he said, may lead the county to a different solicitation for future work, as well as operational improvements to reduce future risk to wells.