Town council approves $79,391 contract to sole‑source filter cleaning at wastewater plant
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Summary
Council awarded a $79,391.56 contract to Blue Earth to clean and refurbish filter media at the wastewater treatment plant; staff said sole‑source purchasing was used because replacement media would cost far more.
The Chesapeake Beach Town Council voted to award a contract to Blue Earth for $79,391.56 to clean and refurbish the filter media at the town wastewater treatment plant. Staff and the plant superintendent told the council the work is a specialty service the town has used previously and that contracting for refurbishment avoids a much larger replacement expense.
Wastewater staff explained that municipalities commonly replace filter media every 7–10 years, a process that can cost “around $1.5 million” based on prior estimates, while regular cleaning can extend media life at a substantially lower cost. Superintendent Josh (last name not specified in the meeting record) said the company submitted a letter asserting it is sole source for the method and materials proposed. He noted municipalities from other states and countries use the same firm for comparable cleaning projects.
Council members discussed sole‑source procurement and whether an RFP would likely yield additional bidders. Town staff advised that an RFP could be issued but that in prior and similar procurements it typically returned only Blue Earth’s bid. Several councilmembers said the cost‑benefit analysis — paying roughly $80,000 to extend media life versus multi‑million‑dollar replacement — supported approving the contract.
The motion to award the contract passed (council recorded “ayes have it”). The contract will be funded from the FY‑26 Water Reclamation Treatment Plant capital line, as budgeted. Town staff said the cleaning program, if performed periodically, is expected to reduce long‑term capital replacement costs.
Why it matters: The work affects the wastewater plant’s treatment reliability and operating costs. Staff characterized Blue Earth’s approach as a preventive investment to avoid extensive capital replacement in the near term.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the contract and schedule the cleaning work; the council motion and supporting sole‑source documentation will be retained in procurement records.
