Lacey awards $2.06 million contract to drill Meridian Campus production well

The City of Lacey on July 15 voted unanimously to award contract PW2022-28 to Holt Services Incorporated to drill a production well at the Meridian Campus. The contract award is for $2,058,244.06, above the engineer’s estimate of $1,981,642.74. City utility engineer Jason Kishani told the council, “Staff recommends award of Lacey contract number PW2022‑28 to low bidder Holt Services Incorporated in the amount of $2,058,244.06.” He said the project is part of the city’s comprehensive plan to meet current and future water production demands. Kishani and staff described the work as specialized drilling to install a 16‑inch diameter production well to approximately 715 feet. The city said the well is associated with an annual water right of 1,000 acre-feet and an expected capacity of about 800 gallons per minute. The contract allows 130 working days and staff said drilling is expected to begin in January. Kishani said the city received only one bid because of the limited pool of specialized drillers and scheduling constraints; Holt Services also drilled the Marvin Road production well. He said the city hopes to coordinate drilling of both production wells back-to-back so the same driller and hydrogeologist can compare pumping and aquifer responses. Council members asked technical questions about aquifer recharge and well spacing. Scott (role identified in the meeting as a technical staff member) explained that deep aquifers (at 715–750 feet) are often recharged from distant sources and are not directly recharged by local surface infiltration ponds. The motion to award the contract was moved and seconded and passed unanimously.