Eastport WRF construction: commissioners approve headworks replacement and a disputed change-order amid schedule and cost concerns

Charlotte County commissioners on Oct. 14 approved a plan to replace the existing headworks at the Eastport Wastewater Reclamation Facility and debated a series of construction change orders on the larger Eastport expansion project.

What passed: The board approved a staff recommendation to build a new, higher-capacity headworks sized for 12 million gallons per day instead of merely rehabilitating the existing structure. County engineers and project consultants described extensive concrete and mechanical deterioration in the existing headworks caused by hydrogen sulfide and recurring high flows; staff said repairs would be short-lived and would not provide good life expectancy. The board accepted the recommendation to design and pursue a new headworks sized to connect directly to the planned future expansion; the staff estimate for the new headworks in the briefing was approximately $17.66 million (engineer’s internal estimate).

Change orders and an approved contract amendment:…