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Durham Council OKs $1.0M contract to evaluate algal flowway sites; contingency and amendment approved
Summary
The City Council authorized a professional services contract with Gradient PLLC to evaluate potential sites for an algal flowway project in the Falls Lake watershed, approved a contingency fund and consented to an amendment cap to cover possible changes.
Durham City Council on Monday authorized the city manager to sign a professional services contract with Gradient PLLC to evaluate and identify potential sites for an algal flowway project in Durham County within the Falls Lake watershed.
Council also approved a contingency fund and gave the manager authority to negotiate amendments to keep total contract spending under a capped amount.
The scope approved covers site evaluation and identification work to build on a 2017 pilot study the city completed, which staff said showed promising results for nitrogen and phosphorus removal at Falls Lake. The council approved a contract amount not to exceed $1,000,046, established a contingency fund of $156,956, and authorized amendments so the contract amount (including contingency) would not exceed $1,203,332. All three measures passed unanimously.
City staff and public speakers clarified the vote does not authorize construction at any location. Public works staff said the consultant will build on an earlier study and narrow potential sites to city- and county-owned locations inside the Falls Lake watershed, then return with recommendations. Staff repeatedly emphasized the site-evaluation phase is exploratory: no ground will be broken and public review will follow any site selection.
The council moved the item after two residents who live near potential sites asked whether earlier lists of candidate locations would be discarded; staff replied the earlier study would be used as a starting point while the new work looks for suitable sites in the city and county limits.
The contract and contingency were approved 5-0; the amendment authorization likewise passed unanimously.
What happens next: the consultant will perform site evaluations and staff said the public will have future opportunities to comment if and when the city advances from site selection to property acquisition or construction planning.
