Collier approves $6.3M in upgrades to water treatment plant

Collier County commissioners awarded a $6.3 million contract to a Brevard County electrical contractor that will replace aging equipment at the county’s southern wastewater facility.

Without discussion, commissioners on June 23 unanimously awarded the $6,319,000 contract to Eau Gallie Electric Inc., one of two bidders, and provided a $400,000 owner’s allowance in case of unforeseen circumstances. The contract gives the Melbourne-based company two years to substantially complete work, replacing the main switchgear and two diesel-powered standby generators at the South County Water Reclamation Facility on White Lake Boulevard.

“Given the critical function of this facility, timely rehabilitation is necessary to maintain system reliability, meet electrical power demand, and minimize the risk of service interruptions,” Adrian Carmenate, a project manager for the county’s Public Utilities Department, wrote in a memo to commissioners.

Naples-based Douglas N. Higgins Inc. was the second bidder at $9,368,000, according to the bid tabulation. The county’s engineering consultant, Naples-based Johnson Engineering LLC evaluated the bids, confirmed that Eau Gallie Electric met or exceeded all requirements, determined it has relevant experience with similar projects and verified its references.

Carmenate noted staff determined Eau Gallie Electric’s bid was about 25% higher than the engineer’s opinion of probable construction cost, $5,063,800. The power-distribution system associated with the main switchgear for the plant’s Electrical Service #1 and its related equipment have been operating more than 20 years and are approaching the end of their useful life, Carmenate wrote, noting that due to its aging infrastructure and unavailable service parts, the county will proactively upgrade Electrical Service #1.

“This facility is required to operate continuously without service interruptions,” Carmenate wrote. “… This project represents a prudent investment in essential infrastructure to ensure the county’s ability to meet current and future wastewater treatment demand.”

Collier operates two regional water-reclamation facilities that have a treatment capacity of 40.1 million gallons per day, and two sub-regional wastewater treatment facilities that can treat up to 2.5 million gallons daily. Combined with an interim treatment plant, they provide wastewater services to over 70,000 service connections.

The South County Water Reclamation Facility provides wastewater treatment in an area south of Golden Gate Parkway to Auto Ranch Road, with a permitted treatment capacity of 16 million gallons daily, while a second regional facility, the North County Water Reclamation Facility, treats water north of Golden Gate Parkway.

The county also operates two subregional facilities, the Orange Tree Treatment Plant, which provides wastewater treatment to the county’s northeast area, east of The Club at TwinEagles, and the Golden Gate Wastewater Treatment Facility, which provides services for much of Golden Gate City. The county also operates the Northeast Service Area Interim Wastewater Plant.

After treating wastewater, the county’s primary means of effluent disposal is returning highly treated reclaimed water to the community, including golf courses, residential communities, environmental-mitigation areas and roadway medians, for beneficial reuse as irrigation water.

Collier operates 957 pump stations, 4,752 valves and 1,648 miles of pipeline. Its plants have won numerous operational excellence awards from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Water Environment Association for superior performance.