WRF construction on schedule; city expects plant startup in 2028, with decommissioning and testing to follow

City water and sewer officials told the Vero Beach City Council on Oct. 7 that construction of the new water reclamation facility (WRF) remains on schedule despite recent rain delays and that phased startup and biological testing will take much of 2028.

Arjuna Verguda, who presented construction updates for the Utilities Department, said crews completed a major slab pour and expect another scheduled pour the following Friday. Verguda reported that GMP 1 work is essentially complete and that GMP 2’s remaining work centers on the maintenance building; the metal building for that structure arrived recently. Verguda said the contractor Wharton Smith has not revised its schedule and continues to list substantial completion in December 2027, with equipment startups beginning in January 2028. City staff said seeding and biological testing — necessary to build the treatment organisms — will take roughly six months, placing full operational readiness around June 2028.

Staff described contingency use to date as minimal — about 5% of the project contingency — and said much early extra work related to site preparation charges had been charged earlier in the GMPs. The city also noted that various items from the existing plant will be relocated or decommissioned in a phased way as the new plant comes online; the decommissioning and some demolition work will be handled separately from the main construction contract.

Separately, public‑works and utilities staff reported progress on a large stormwater pipeline program and other water projects: in‑house crews completed roughly 23,000 linear feet of the roughly 27,000 linear feet program; contractors delivered completed wells and site work for newly re‑drilled shallow wells (project closeout pending); and the STEP backbone bids (sewer expansion) returned with six competitive bids. Staff said the stormwater pipeline work is being finalized and that they expect water flow through certain pipeline segments in roughly 30–45 days, given recent rain delays.

Why it matters: The WRF is a multi‑year, multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar project that will replace the city’s existing treatment capacity. The schedule for startup, biological testing and final commissioning affects when the city can divert flows, decommission old facilities, and begin rate and financing steps tied to project completion.

Speakers quoted in the presentation included Arjuna Verguda (Utilities), plus references to Wharton Smith (construction manager) and contractor project managers. Council members and the city manager asked detailed questions about contingency use, testing and sequencing for decommissioning the old plant.