Westminster council approves major contract for new Westminster Boulevard water plant after lengthy debate over ozone and cost

Councilors voted to authorize a large construction contract amendment and related construction-management contracts to build the new Westminster Boulevard drinking water facility after more than an hour of discussion over cost, treatment technology and the city’s water strategy.

The vote clears the way to move forward with the project’s guaranteed maximum price (GMP) and associated construction contracts. Council discussion focused on whether the plant should include an ozone system — a $16 million line-item councilors questioned — and how the plant relates to the older Semper treatment plant and the city’s water supply, operations and long-term capital needs.

Supporters among council and staff said the design and scope were value-engineered to trim earlier estimates and that the plant will add geographic resiliency to the city’s system. “We did a significant value engineering effort,” the city manager said during the meeting, and staff noted the newer plant has been reduced in capacity compared with earlier plans to manage cost while retaining the ability to add capacity in the future. Staff and the project’s water-treatment superintendent said the ozone system is intended to address future regulatory changes and deteriorating raw-water quality tied to events such as wildfire and that ozone will not replace the distribution residual disinfectant (chloramine) but will treat taste/odor and organic load prior to filtration.

Opponents and some council members pressed those points at length. Councilor Christine Ireland said, “I never approved this plant, and I still don't approve of it,” and warned that the project would not replace the larger Semper plant and that the city likely will need additional spending on Semper later. Councilor Ireland also questioned the ozone line-item, calling it “snake oil” in public remarks and arguing the city should not add $16 million for technology she said would not provide a lasting distribution residual.

City staff and the city’s water treatment superintendent responded with technical and financial context. Water treatment superintendent Ryan Decker said ozone “will not serve as a residual disinfectant in the water” and that the plant would continue to use chlorine/ammonia for distribution residual. He said the ozone is intended to address emerging contaminants and water-quality events — for example post-wildfire organics that can blind membranes and create a taste-and-odor problem — and to help meet future regulations. City engineer and public-works staff described a lengthy value-engineering process that reduced earlier cost estimates by eliminating optional components and refining the scope.

Council approved the contract-related motions to proceed. The assembled record shows council approval of the GMP and construction contracts; council discussion established that City staff will continue to evaluate reclaimed-water connections, asset-reinvestment timing for Semper, and ways to reduce operating impacts. Staff also said the city is pursuing accreditation for the public-works department and has been coordinating with partners on traffic enforcement and other operational matters.

The city provided several cost and schedule details during the meeting: the land acquisition for the plant site was discussed publicly as having carried a substantially higher settlement price than earlier appraisals (staff cited an amount in the low tens of millions). The PCL Construction GMP amendment discussed in the meeting packet and public motion was in the hundreds of millions for construction plus a city-held contingency; staff said the project had been through value engineering and that remaining decisions include whether to install ozone and whether reclaimed water will be available for irrigation (staff said the plant would be built to accept reclaimed water if it becomes available).

What’s next: the approvals enable contracting and construction to proceed. Staff said commissioning of the Westminster Boulevard plant is scheduled several years out and that work to rehabilitate Semper is planned afterward. Council directed staff to continue briefing members on options for Semper, ozone, reclaimed water infrastructure and the long-term capital financing plan.

Ending: The item produced one of the night’s longest debates; council approved the contracts and the plant will move from design to construction planning while staff continues follow-up on ozone benefits, reclaimed-water feasibility and how Semper will be managed in coming years.