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Punta Gorda officials seek funding and design approval for $6.1 million wastewater pumping upgrades
Summary
City staff asked the council to support preliminary design and engineering work for upgrades at two aging wastewater pumping facilities, citing regulatory pressure and increased failure risk; phase 1 design contract proposed at $861,905.
Punta Gorda City staff told the council at the pre-agenda meeting that a planned upgrade to the city’s two major wastewater pumping facilities is now estimated at about $6.1 million and that council support is needed to move into preliminary design and engineering.
Tom Spencer, utilities director, said the combined project updates pumps, piping, electrical switchgear, generators, variable-frequency drives and motor controls at the master pumping facility at 900 West Henry Street and a booster facility at 4300 Henry Street. “The risk of failure is increasing, and we’re under regulatory pressure, to make these upgrades,” Spencer said.
Spencer said the total estimate includes roughly $1.56 million for design and engineering, $2.3 million for construction and about $2.2 million for equipment. He said much of the existing equipment is more than 20 years old, the booster facility’s generator is undersized and the project responds to mitigation steps outlined in the city’s reply to a sanitary sewer overflow warning letter from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Staff proposed a phased approach. Phase 1—the preliminary design, condition assessment and hydraulic modeling—carries a professional-services proposal of $861,905 and an estimated 197-day schedule from notice to proceed. Spencer said hydraulic modeling may show a need to upgrade a 14-inch force main that runs down Henry Street toward U.S. 41.
Kristen Simeon, finance director, said the city budgeted $1.9 million in the fiscal 2025 CIP and that staff is seeking about $4.2 million in the FY 2026 request; she said the final number could change as design work proceeds. “If we can keep everything in the tank and everything running, then we’re in a much better situation. We don’t have to spend extra money later,” Spencer said.
Spencer said the city will pursue grant funding and noted CDM Smith, the recommended engineering firm, has previously helped the city secure wastewater funding. He described the scope consolidation as a step to reduce redundancy, improve resiliency for storms and to meet DEP mitigation needs.
Council members asked about phasing and protecting the project from future cost escalation. Spencer said phase 1 will set the scope and enable procurement of long-lead items so later construction is less vulnerable to price inflation. “As long as you have continued support of this project, I’m going to make sure it crosses the finish line,” he said.
Staff did not record a formal vote at the pre-agenda session; council will consider formal authorizations at the regular meeting and during the FY 2026 budget process.
