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Board approves four‑year monitoring contract with Environmental Science Associates for permits and desal facility
Summary
Tampa Bay Water approved a not‑to‑exceed $2,477,000 professional services contract with Environmental Science Associates to continue permit‑required monitoring for surface water withdrawals and ongoing environmental monitoring around the desalination facility.
Tampa Bay Water’s board approved a multi‑year professional services contract on May 19 to continue environmental monitoring and compliance reporting for the regional surface water permits and monitoring around the Tampa Bay Desalination Facility.
Chief Science Officer Warren Hogg explained that the work covers required monitoring under the Tampa Bypass Canal and Alafia River water‑use permits and voluntary monitoring around the desalination facility to support coordination with regulators and stakeholder groups. The existing contract with Environmental Science Associates was expiring; staff negotiated a new four‑year agreement with Environmental Science Associates (ESA) for permit‑required monitoring, data analysis and compliance reporting at a not‑to‑exceed cost of $2,477,000.
Hogg said outsourcing the specialized field work and analysis is cost‑effective and avoids the need for the agency to procure and maintain vessels, specialized field monitoring equipment and specialized staff. The contract scope includes field monitoring, laboratory analysis coordination, data interpretation and preparation of regulatory compliance reports.
Board action: the board moved and seconded approval (motion by Councilwoman Hanawitz, seconded by Commissioner Wustl) and the clerk recorded the motion as passing unanimously.
The contract continues a program that informs permit compliance and community engagement; staff said the monitoring results are used in permit reporting and stakeholder communications.
