Council awards $2.687M contract for Portland–Sandy transmission main; work continues amid Portland filtration land‑use uncertainty

The City of Sandy authorized a construction contract of $2,687,000 for the transmission main portion of the project intended to connect Sandy to Portland’s future filtration facility.

Public works staff explained the broader project is in three parts: a pump station, the transmission main (the contract awarded by council), and a dechloramination system at Revenue Reservoir. The intertie to Portland is designed to give Sandy access to a filtered water source and Portland’s groundwater supply as a resiliency option.

AJ (Public Works) told the council the bid came in significantly lower than the engineer’s worst‑case estimate and that 10 contractors submitted proposals. He said the city’s contract includes a termination‑for‑convenience clause and that purchasing pipe and committing contractor resources now would not lock the city into an irreversible position if Portland’s filtration project is delayed due to land‑use issues. City counsel confirmed the contract contains standard termination and surety provisions.

Council approved the contract unanimously and directed staff to coordinate traffic control and property/outreach in advance of any construction that will affect County roads. Staff said the Portland filtration facility has a pending land‑use decision in late June and that Sandy’s contract schedule was designed so the pipeline procurement and early work would not unduly expose the city if Portland’s approval is delayed.

Why it matters: the transmission main is a physical step toward a long‑term water resiliency connection with Portland; procurement and construction timing are being coordinated with Portland’s land‑use process to manage financial and scheduling risk.