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Council authorizes change order for Southern Pump Station; city adds nearly $3.0 million from wastewater fund
Summary
The council approved a change order and budget revision for the Southern Pump Station project that raises the revised phase estimate to about $15.0 million and requests roughly $2.95 million in additional wastewater working-capital funds. Staff cited value-engineering savings and federal tariff risk as reasons to proceed now; vote was 4-0.
The El Centro City Council on a 4-0 vote approved a change order and additional appropriation for the Southern Pump Station project, moving the revised Phase 1 estimate to about $15.0 million and asking the council to add $2,954,417.40 from the wastewater working-capital fund to complete the phase.
Abraham Campos, who presented the item for city staff, described the Southern Pump Station as a "generational project" intended to increase system reliability, expand capacity and enable new development connections in the Willow Bend area. Campos said prior approvals awarded Phase 1A to Rogue Engineering and staff pursued value-engineering measures to reduce costs before proceeding with Phase 1B.
Campos summarized savings and project history: earlier plans and bids put combined phases at about $16,373,000; revisions and value engineering reduced the combined estimate to about $15,000,007.25. Staff recommended adding a limited contingency of $100,000 and bringing forward change order 4 to include a Beverly Lane sanitary sewer extension needed to serve a recently-approved Willow Bend subdivision. Campos noted ARPA funding was included in the overall financing plan and that the project has been planned by the city for roughly two decades.
Campos also warned of near-term material-cost risks, telling the council that tariffs and supply pressures could increase construction costs: "construction cost…will go up. So if we are able to get projects locked in, the sooner the better." The requested additional appropriation for this phase, Campos said, is available within wastewater working capital, which the city has accumulated from rate revenue and capacity fees.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about the amount requested, contingency levels, and whether prior cost savings had already been applied to reduce the ask. Campos confirmed the $1.3 million in savings had been accounted for and that the $2,954,417.40 request reflects the current funding gap for the revised Phase 1 scope.
A motion to authorize the revised budget and change order passed on a 4-0 voice vote. Staff said they will return with further change orders if needed as the project progresses and as unknowns are encountered during excavation and construction.
