Calio wastewater plant needs new membranes; county to spend up to $65,004 pending warranty review

Sanitary district and county officials told the Board of Supervisors that membrane filters at the Calio wastewater treatment plant are failing, the manufacturer has declined a third warranty claim, and replacement would cost about $65,004 including freight, crane and piping modifications.

The item matters because the membranes are central to treatment capacity; without them the plant would need daily pump-and-haul operations, which county staff said would be costly and operationally difficult.

Mister Willard of the sanitary district said filters installed under an earlier warranty have degraded and the manufacturer is now offering only a one-year warranty for replacements. He told the board the current membranes limit flow to about 30,000 gallons per day against a permitted 60,000 gpd and that the proposed new membranes would restore capacity to roughly 58,000 gpd. "We do not want to see" the plant go down, Willard said, adding that pump-and-haul would be expensive.

Willard presented a total estimate of $65,004.30 for new membranes plus freight, crane rental to set the units, and piping modifications to fit new components. County counsel Gregory offered to review warranty and contract documents to determine whether the manufacturer fulfilled warranty obligations and whether additional remedies were available. The board agreed that Gregory should review the warranty in parallel and voted to authorize procurement up to the $65,004.30 cap.

Ending: Staff will proceed to acquire the membranes and the board authorized a maximum expenditure of $65,004.30 while counsel reviews warranty language and staff pursues any parallel warranty claim.