Commissioners approve Arcadis consulting agreement and Longwood Road sewer contract; ARP and DEQ funding details discussed

Brunswick County staff asked the board to authorize two water- and sewer-related items: a professional services agreement with Arcadis G&M of North Carolina for reclaimed-water planning and an award of a construction contract for the Longwood Road Sewer Project.

Brent Lachame presented the Arcadis scope: Phase 1 will revise the reclaimed-water section of the sewer-use ordinance (estimated 318 days, including stakeholder meetings and public hearings) and Phase 2 will develop a comprehensive reclaimed-water master plan and hydraulic model (about 282 days). The proposal price was $695,000. Lachame said the county has authority to adopt a reclaimed-water ordinance and to require connections if the ordinance so provides.

On the Longwood Road Sewer Project, staff described a DEQ grant of nearly $15 million to extend sewer service to Waccamaw Elementary School and underserved properties along the route, with roughly 200 service connections planned. Staff recommended awarding a $23,054,203.54 construction contract to the lowest responsive bidder and using $9,435,453.54 in county funds to supplement the DEQ grant. The board approved the contract and also approved a change-order approach that would remove certain scope elements (grinder package, some electrical and plumbing tasks) from the primary contract so those components can be competitively bid separately; staff said that could produce savings but emphasized DEQ approval is required for project changes tied to the grant.

County legal and finance staff explained the funding structure: ARP funds are part of the DEQ mix and must be spent by December 2026; county supplemental dollars and reserves will cover the local share as proposed while staff works to secure additional mitigation and grant funding. Staff said property owners who elect to connect would pay standard sewer-service fees after hookup; the initial connection costs for qualifying property owners would be covered under the grant structure if they sign up by the date to be determined.

Why it matters: The Longwood project extends sewer service to underserved areas, supports public-health and environmental goals, and uses a mix of federal and state grant funds and county dollars; the reclaimed-water work could reduce potable water demand and create reuse opportunities.

Next steps: Staff will send sewer-service agreements to affected property owners, finalize DEQ approvals and proceed with contractor pre-award compliance checks (bonds, affidavits). If the change order is not approved by DEQ, the county may need to cover additional costs with alternate funds or adjust the project scope.