Dunedin commission awards Virginia Street water main replacement contract

The City Commission on April 15 voted unanimously to award construction of the Virginia Street water main replacement project to the lowest responsive bidder, authorizing a contract in the amount of $920,810.

Clay Watkins, utilities and engineering, told the commission the project will replace an aging 12‑inch cast‑iron main that has experienced three breaks in the past two years — including a break on March 15 — and will improve water quality and fire protection. The project will install roughly 2,000 linear feet of new PVC main from Lake Haven to Keene, and include 8‑inch and 6‑inch tie‑ins on adjacent streets. Staff reported 13 bids were received; award recommendation went to the apparent low, responsive and responsible bidder identified in the staff report.

Commissioners asked about construction timing and traffic impacts. Staff estimated the contractor will start within two to three months and allow about six months for completion; periodic lane restrictions and flagging are likely, but staff does not expect the road to be fully closed for extended periods. The commission approved the award and asked staff to continue work to sequence water‑system replacements as part of the city’s ongoing infrastructure program.

The contract award was presented as a routine infrastructure maintenance action to address documented reliability problems on an older cast‑iron section of the system; staff said many replacement decisions are driven by break history, leakage testing and field inspections.