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Bay County awards $1.55 million contract to replace aging water‑treatment underdrains
Summary
The Bay County Board of County Commissioners approved a $1,552,000 contract to replace filter underdrains at the county's water treatment facility and accepted a plan to stage the work over two years to limit operational impacts.
Bay County commissioners on April 15 approved a $1,552,000 contract to NCMC LLC to replace worn filter underdrain systems at a county water-treatment plant, citing failures in recent years and long-term cost savings from a stainless-steel replacement system.
County staff presenter Bobby Gibbs told the board the plant’s underdrain system “hasn’t been done in almost 20 years.” Gibbs said three filters failed last year, requiring earlier replacements, and the county planned a project to replace the remaining eight underdrain systems. Under the approved plan, four filters will be replaced this year and four will be budgeted for the following year.
Gibbs described the selected product as a stainless-steel “trilateral” system with a long service history: “This system we're going with is over 4,000 installations in 6 different continents…for over 50 years it's been in service,” he said. Gibbs told commissioners the stainless-steel system is less expensive to repair if a section fails because a damaged segment can be replaced without removing the entire underdrain assembly. He said the originally estimated cost per filter using older technology approached $750,000 per filter, but the selected approach reduced that projected cost by about half.
On timing, Gibbs told the board crews will perform most of the work during low-flow months. Following notice to proceed, Gibbs said procurement and manufacturing steps would take several months: an initial 4–6 weeks for some metalwork, 14–16 weeks for manufacturing the equipment, and 6–8 weeks per filter for installation. He estimated the installation sequence would begin with a notice to proceed and that all four filters in the first phase would be finished by March following an October start.
Commissioners questioned durability and cost. Gibbs said the selected system’s “ongoing maintenance and cost is going to be even less for the county going forward.” Chairman Moore commended staff: “Kudos to you and your staff for doing the digging and looking and trying to find a better way to be able to save some money and provide improved services to the community,” he said.
The motion to award contract 02/1926 to NCMC LLC for $1,552,000 carried on a unanimous roll call. County staff said operations would not be affected if work is done during the planned low-flow months and that the chairman is authorized to execute the contract with county-attorney-approved modifications.
Ending: With the contract approved, staff will issue a notice to proceed and schedule procurement and installations to minimize treatment disruptions during low-flow months.
