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Council approves $488,664 Jacobs contract amendment tied to Lead and Copper Rule compliance
Summary
The council approved a nearly $489,000 modification to Jacobs Engineering's contract for asset and information services to help the city comply with Lead and Copper Rule revisions. Councilors pressed for detail on how much of the work is lead-specific and how public-education funds will be used.
The Newport City Council approved modification number 4 to the City’s engineering services contract with Jacobs Engineering Group, adding $488,664 and extending the contract to June 30, 2026, to support asset-information services and compliance with revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule.
Director Schultz described the amendment as part of an interrelated program addressing lead service lines, asset management and other distribution-system needs. “The overall lead program is a 100 and something million,” Schultz said; he estimated the portion of the contract that would be directly related to lead mapping and response at roughly 25–30 percent of the amendment.
Councilors asked for detail on how the money will be spent. One councilor noted roughly $116,000 in the amendment for public education and outreach and asked for specifics on how that would be used. Schultz said the funds will support modernization of public-facing materials — including a new website, story maps, dashboards and communication tools — to make data accessible and improve transparency about water quality and lead work. He characterized the $116,000 as an initial investment to make information easier to find and to present risk clearly rather than a “public relations campaign.”
Councilors also asked about the funding source. Schultz said the amendment is funded from multiple capital line items within the enterprise fund, including lead-specific accounts, asset information and operations and maintenance categories. He said the city had applied for SRF and other funding for lead service line replacement but had not yet secured full funding for a citywide replacement program.
Councilors asked whether replacements are being done proactively; Schultz said replacements occur when triggered by emergencies or construction activity and that large-scale replacement remains unfunded without state or federal assistance.
Council discussion also addressed transparency and oversight of how Jacobs will spend outreach funds; Schultz said city staff will approve expenditures and contract deliverables. The motion to approve the contract modification passed by voice vote.
Councilors requested follow-up materials and a clearer breakdown of how the amendment funds will be allocated among lead-specific work, asset management and outreach.
