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Council approves $2M change order for advanced wastewater treatment plant, holds solar installation as future option
Summary
Council approved a change order increasing the Kubota Membrane USA contract for the advanced wastewater treatment plant from about $10.43 million to about $12.4 million; a $1 million solar allowance will remain unspent for now though conduits will be installed to allow future panels.
The Vero Beach City Council approved a change order that raises the design/build total for the advanced wastewater treatment plant project to about $12.4 million.
City staff reported the original GMP award to Kubota Membrane USA was $10,430,000 (approved Feb. 27, 2024). Staff and the contractor refined the design and identified items not included in the initial estimate—larger mixers and additional control valves among them—raising the contract total to about $12,400,000. City staff said allowances and contingencies remain in the project budget; one allowance for solar panels (roughly $1,000,000) will not be purchased now because a purchase financed with bond proceeds did not make financial sense. The project will be plumbed and wired to allow panels to be added later if economics change.
Rob Bolton, presenting for utilities, told council that the overall guaranteed maximum price on the broader program remains on track and that staff will preserve conduit and other infrastructure if the city chooses to install panels later. Council approved the change order on a 5-0 roll call.
Councilors asked about resilience during power outages; staff confirmed backup generators will provide emergency power and noted that solar panels would not have provided full process resilience in a major outage. Staff said the overall program funding assumptions remain unchanged.
