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Council approves $210,847 change orders to boost Paul Davis wellfield output
Summary
City council authorized two change orders with Hydro Resources, Mid-Continent Inc. totaling $210,847.50 to increase pump/motor size at the Paul Davis wellfield, raising production from about 3.0 to 3.5 million gallons per day from five wells and supporting plans for a future RO pilot plant.
The Midland City Council on April 8 authorized change orders 4 and 5 with Hydro Resources, Mid-Continent Incorporated for $210,847.50 to increase pumping capacity at the Paul Davis wellfield and to address unforeseen field conditions.
Councilmember Burkholder pulled the item for discussion, citing recent city water supply concerns and asking for staff to explain the purpose of the change orders. A staff member identified as Carl (city utilities staff) said the Paul Davis wellfield—on the north side of Midland and previously inactive—was being brought back into service with five new public water wells. During construction the wells demonstrated higher potential output than originally estimated, and increasing motor size and electrical capacity would raise the combined production from about 3,000,000 gallons per day to roughly 3,500,000 gallons per day from the five wells.
Carl said the work will help the wellfield become a more sustainable source of supply on the path toward a larger, 10–12 million gallon per day capacity for the location. He explained staff are designing a reverse-osmosis (RO) pilot treatment plant because the raw well water quality is not currently compatible with direct distribution into Midland's existing system; the pilot will be needed to demonstrate to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that the treatment technology will meet regulatory requirements.
Carl also said the change-order approach is more cost effective than drilling an additional well: "the change order is 3.5% of what the actual construction project costs, but we're moving up 16.7% inflow from those 5 wells," he said.
Council moved and approved the item; the motion carried unanimously.
Ending: Staff said the wells are scheduled to come online in late June, at which point the pilot RO study will begin under the TCEQ timeframe requirements, and council expressed support for advancing infrastructure to strengthen the city's water supply.
