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Winter Springs updates East Water Reclamation Facility design; construction estimate range $60M–$71M
Summary
City and its construction manager‑at‑risk presented a design and procurement update for the East Water Reclamation Facility, reported a preliminary construction estimate (GMP-range) and described SRF application timing and procurement risks tied to tariffs and long lead items.
City of Winter Springs staff and its construction manager‑at‑risk (CMAR) on Wednesday detailed progress on the East Water Reclamation Facility, the first of two replacement wastewater plants the city plans to build.
Officials said the preliminary design report is complete, the construction permit for the East plant was obtained in March, and an application for Clean Water SRF construction funding is being finalized for submittal by June 30.
Cost estimate and procurement process
Eric Anderson, project manager with Wharton Smith, told commissioners the team prepared a conservative SRF deliverable that includes contingencies and allowances. “The estimate that we've currently put together is just over $71,000,000 including all contingencies and allowances,” Anderson said. He and other team members said removing contingencies and allowances yields a core component estimate near $60,000,000, with the final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) expected to fall somewhere between those figures once bid packages and contingency items are refined.
Anderson described the CMAR approach: an open‑book GMP process that bids major scopes (electrical, concrete, mechanical) to multiple subcontractors, documents allowances and a risk register, and then compiles the GMP for commission review. The team said that as allowances and risks are refined during design‑to‑bid work, contingency amounts should decline.
Schedule and funding
Staff said SRF program timing means an October 1 funding availability window if the SRF board places the project on the priority list after its mid‑August review. Construction procurement and equipment lead times—particularly for generators and select electrical gear—remain potential schedule drivers; staff said early procurement of long‑lead items would be used where allowed by funding rules. The current project schedule presented anticipates construction beginning in mid‑2026, subject to SRF funding and any grant offsets the city secures.
Other technical details and operations
Consultants described the new East plant layout as a multi‑train, more resilient concrete facility designed to reduce single‑train failure modes found in the city’s older “ring‑steel” package plants. The design team said it attempted to avoid wetland impacts where practical and will use phased construction to minimize the time existing treatment capacity is unavailable.
Grants and loan forgiveness
Staff said they are pursuing multiple funding avenues beyond SRF, including recently announced hurricane‑related SRF loan forgiveness opportunities and the Protecting Florida Together water‑quality grant window opening in July; project leaders said both could reduce the city’s debt burden if awarded but cautioned there were no guarantees.
Ending
Commissioners asked about long‑term operating and replacement costs and whether design choices could reduce lifetime O&M; staff said value engineering will focus on capital and long‑term O&M tradeoffs. No formal action was taken; staff will return with the GMP and financing details after the CMAR’s bid and risk‑refinement process.
