Fort Pierce utility authority approves $8.7 million guaranteed‑maximum price for Lift Station A upgrades and downtown force main

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The Fort Pierce Utility Authority on June 3 approved Amendment 3 to its progressive design‑build master agreement, establishing a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $8,700,000 for CIP1, a project that upgrades Lift Station A and installs a downtown force main to route wastewater west to a new mainland treatment plant.

The board’s vote followed a presentation from utility staff outlining the Phase 1a conveyance projects, construction progress on the Jenkins Road force main, and the package of federal and state grants that will reimburse bond proceeds used to fund the work. The motion passed on a roll call vote with Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. Davis, Mayor Hudson and Mrs. Gibbons voting yes; one member, Mr. Fee, was absent and excused earlier in the meeting.

Why it matters: The work is part of a multi‑phase effort to redirect wastewater flow from the island treatment facility to a new mainland municipal wastewater reclamation facility (MWRF) that staff expect to commission in December 2025, barring major storm disruption. Redirecting flow is required to operate the new plant efficiently and to reduce long‑term operation and maintenance costs.

Utility staff said the Amendment 3 GMP of $8.7 million covers construction of the Lift Station A improvements and the AE Backus (A. E. Backus Avenue) 16‑inch force main extension. The GMP includes allowances totaling $1,500,000…