Parlier approves $483,336 in change orders for TCP treatment project; installs wastewater samplers

The Parlier City Council on July 18 authorized change orders totaling $483,336 to the construction contract with Clark Rose for TCP (tetrachloroethylene) removal and treatment systems, City Engineer Javier told the council.

Javier said the TCP program is a roughly $17,000,000 project and that the change orders will be paid from project contingency. "This project is bringing them back online, so adding more wells to our system, which is great," Javier said, describing rehabilitation work at Wells 5 and 8 and other necessary site improvements. He added the project team will pursue a contingency increase from the State Water Board if additional unexpected costs require it.

Javier also reported the city has completed and placed wastewater sampling stations at Maxco and Fowler Packing; the samplers collect daily samples that staff pick up weekly for laboratory testing to detect contaminants such as ink and to assess potential user fees for high discharge loads. He said the manufacturing facilities previously addressed ink-discharge issues and that the monitors provide a way to measure ongoing compliance and, if necessary, charge higher effluent fees.

Council approved the resolution authorizing the change orders by voice vote; the clerk announced the motion carried with four yes votes and one absent.

Staff said the change orders are relatively small compared with the overall project value, and that funds for city maintenance and operations will not be tapped by this action. The city will continue to monitor sampling results and apply fee schedules for excessive contamination if monitoring shows elevated pollutant loads.