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District recommends awarding Filter First lead-water contract; one bid covers full inventory work
Summary
The district recommended contracting DHE Plumbing Mechanical for a Filter First lead-water filtration project (bid $402,600); state funding covers part of the work (about $241,000); remaining costs and ongoing testing obligations remain with the district.
Hudsonville Public School District staff recommended the board consider awarding a contract to DHE Plumbing Mechanical for work under the state’s Filter First lead-water initiative. The presenter said the bid totaled $402,600 for a districtwide inventory and installation project that covers every potential drinking-water source in school buildings.
Staff described the Filter First process as a state-directed program that requires inventorying every potential drinking-water fixture (fountains, bottle fillers, classroom sinks and other points where a student could consume water). The district’s buildings-and-grounds team completed a fixture-level inventory and provided it to potential bidders; staff said the quantity and detail required made bidding onerous and that only one vendor submitted a full bid.
According to the transcript, the district estimated its initial project budget at $408,004 and reported state funding of about $241,000 toward the work; staff said the state award did not fully fund the bid and the district would cover the difference. The presenter noted that the vendor has performed successful work for the district in the past and that the project will also require ongoing testing and signage obligations; staff estimated recurring testing labor “on the order of” roughly 10 hours per week early in the program and said annual posting of results will be required. Staff also said any source not verified as filtered must be labeled as nonfiltered and must be taken out of service if not compliant.
Board members asked whether wells and municipal water supplies are treated the same under the program; staff replied that all potential student-consumption sources must be inventoried and treated according to the Filter First requirements regardless of water source. Staff said most of the work can be completed this fiscal year but some installations may extend into July and August; they also noted the district will seek to maximize grant funding this year to reduce local costs.
No contract was finalized at the meeting; staff recommended the board consider awarding the contract to DHE Plumbing Mechanical at the next board meeting after review of the bid and funding plan.
