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City awards $2.1 million contract for Apollo General Aviation baffle box to reduce runoff to Indian River Lagoon
Summary
Melbourne approved a contract with BDI Marine Contractors LLC for installation of a baffle box and biosorption media to treat runoff from an 854‑acre basin near Apollo Boulevard and General Aviation Drive; project draws Save Our Indian River Lagoon and ARPA funds.
Melbourne City Council approved a $2,103,474 contract on Jan. 28 for a second‑generation baffle box to treat stormwater runoff near Apollo Boulevard and General Aviation Drive, a basin that drains roughly 854 acres toward the Indian River Lagoon.
City staff said the biosorption‑activated media system is expected to cut roughly 3,300 pounds of total nitrogen and about 479 pounds of phosphorus annually from the lagoon watershed. Bids were opened in December; BDI Marine Contractors LLC was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, and staff recommended award following reference checks.
The project is funded in part by the Save Our Indian River Lagoon (S.O.R.I.L.) program; Brevard County agreed to inflate its cost‑share award to $401,184, bringing the city’s S.O.R.I.L. allocation up from the original $297,522. Additional funding includes $1,258,522 in ARPA funds from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, leaving the project adequately funded to proceed, staff said.
Council vote and next steps
Council approved: (a) the amended cost‑share agreement with Brevard County; (b) a budget resolution encumbering the S.O.R.I.L. funds to the project; and (c) the contract award to BDI Marine Contractors LLC for $2,103,474. The project was included in the 2018 S.O.I.R.L. plan and staff said construction can proceed once agreements are finalized and contracts signed.
Why it matters
The Indian River Lagoon has been a focus of multi‑jurisdictional restoration work; targeted, retrofit stormwater treatments such as baffle boxes are a commonly used tool to reduce nutrient loading from developed basins. Reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loads helps address algal blooms and improves water quality for the lagoon ecosystem.
Funding and schedule
- Contract award: $2,103,474 to BDI Marine Contractors LLC. - S.O.R.I.L. funding: $401,184 (inflation-adjusted allocation via Brevard County). - ARPA (state DEP) allocation: $1,258,522. - Project number: 20019. Staff said the project budget is sufficient with the county cost‑share and ARPA funds; staff will administer the construction contract and coordinate required permitting and inspections.
Council action
Council approved the cost‑share agreement, the budget resolution and the contract award by voice vote on Jan. 28.
