Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Wastewater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council OKs $1.14 million contract for headworks screening design at regional wastewater plant
Summary
The council approved a professional services agreement with Garver LLC for $1,137,836 to design and support construction of a new influent screening facility (headworks) at the regional wastewater treatment plant, the first phase of a multi‑part plant improvement program.
The Victoria City Council approved a professional services agreement Tuesday with Garver LLC for engineering design and construction support for a new influent screening facility at the regional wastewater treatment plant.
Public Works presented Garver's 2023 evaluation of the plant and identified the headworks — the influent screening, grit removal and primary improvements — as the top priority for reliability and operator safety. Project 1, phase 1 focuses on replacing the existing bar screen and constructing a new mechanical screening structure sized to capture smaller debris (the existing screen opening is about 4 inches; the design target is roughly 1–1.5 inches). The project will move the screen slightly east of the current location and requires maintaining continuous flows through the five‑foot influent line during construction.
Ken Gill, public works, explained the design will require multidisciplinary engineering (civil, structural, mechanical, instrumentation and electrical) and extensive permitting and bidding services. Garver principal Greg Swoboda, who led the 2023 evaluation, was available to answer technical questions. Council approved the professional services agreement for $1,137,836 and authorized staff to proceed with design, permitting and construction phase services.
City staff said the regional wastewater plant — built in 1970 and processing an average of about 9.6 million gallons per day — remains in permit compliance, but older equipment and large debris entering the system have increased labor and safety demands on operations staff. The upgraded screening is intended to reduce manual entry into the channel, protect downstream pumps and equipment, and reduce ongoing maintenance and unplanned outages.
Council adopted the resolution by voice vote. Staff characterized the work as phase 1 of a larger, multi‑phase rehabilitation program that will address grit removal and final clarifier improvements in later phases.
