Council approves design contract for effluent pump station improvements at wastewater plant

The Oxnard City Council on Sept. 16 authorized a professional-services agreement with Hayes & Sawyer for engineering and consulting services related to effluent pump station improvements at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

Scope and timing: The five-year agreement, not to exceed $2,415,738, covers design and technical consulting for upgrades the city says are the next major phase following ongoing activated-sludge-tank and primary-clarifier work. Public-works staff said the investments are part of the plant’s 2017 integrated master plan and a 2024 update and are intended to maintain plant reliability and prepare for a planned state revolving-fund loan that will increase near-term debt service.

Why it matters: Staff described the pump station work as a key component of the plant’s next phase of improvements, intended to upgrade electrical and pumping systems to improve reliability and to position the plant for future capital investments.

Vote and next steps: The council approved the agreement 7-0 and authorized staff to proceed with the consultant selection and contract execution. Public Works said design work will proceed and will be coordinated with the ongoing capital projects at the plant to minimize outages and schedule conflicts.

Attribution: Assistant Public Works Director Tim Beaman and Director Michael Wolff answered council questions about sequencing and the project’s role in the plant master plan; no additional city funding beyond the previously approved CIP allocation was requested at the meeting.