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County approves Wayside force-main replacement and emergency bypass pump purchase for Sonny’s Lift Station
Summary
The commission approved a $262,722 change order to replace failing force main near Wayside Lift Station and authorized roughly $180,000 to purchase a bypass pump for the nearby Sonny’s Lift Station after staff described recurring breaks and emergency risk to sewage containment.
County engineering staff told the commission on Oct. 14 that recurring breaks in the force main from the Wayside Park Lift Station to the Highway 90 crossing have created an urgent need to replace about 1,000 feet of force main. Eric Worrell of AutoHealth Engineering said the county secured written approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to move contingency funds within the Springs grant project to pay for the replacement.
Commissioners approved a change order in the Indian Springs Phase 2B project to replace the faulty line, using contingency funds, at a cost of $262,722. The board voted in favor by raised hands.
Separately, staff described operational challenges with lift-station bypass capacity. Currently the county moves a portable bypass pump between Wayside and Sonny’s Lift Station when one of the stations has issues. To reduce emergency risk and avoid dumping untreated effluent where both stations could be down simultaneously, staff proposed purchasing a dedicated bypass pump for Sonny’s Lift Station. Staff evaluated two local pump suppliers and recommended a Godwin pump for this application because of operating characteristics and local maintenance capacity.
The commission authorized the emergency procurement and approved funding of approximately $180,006.63 to procure and equip a bypass pump for Sonny’s Lift Station, including piping and monitoring gauges. County staff described the procurement as an emergency-type purchase, and legal staff said they had not been able to fully review background documents in advance; commissioners discussed terminology ("sole source" vs. "emergency procurement") before approving the item.
Why it matters: Replacing a frequently failing force main reduces recurring breaks, environmental risk and emergency repairs; adding a dedicated bypass pump increases resilience and prevents potential sewage discharges if multiple stations fail simultaneously.
Attribution: Technical statements summarized from presentations and answers by Eric Worrell and county staff during the meeting.
