Needles accepts grant-funded contract to build Well 11–Well 15 intertie to expand treated water capacity

The City of Needles approved a grant-funded public works agreement to construct a 16-inch transmission intertie from Well 11 to Well 15 to route raw water to the city’s treatment facility, a project staff said is intended to restore the city’s ability to use multiple wells and increase redundancy in the water supply.

City Manager described the project as funded through a grant from the California Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and gave a construction timeline of roughly two months. He said the intertie will allow the city to use up to three wells reliably rather than relying on fewer wells.

The city manager stated a project cost of $478,506.50 when presenting the contractor recommendation (Phillips Excavating) and later in the same discussion mentioned another figure ($435,000). The transcript contains both numbers; the city packet materials and the public works agreement should be consulted for the definitive contract amount. City staff recommended approving the notice of award and authorizing the public works agreement.

The council approved the item on the consent calendar by roll-call vote. City staff emphasized the project is fully grant-funded and linked to an earlier emergency declaration the council passed after sample results triggered state-defined water-quality concerns (staff characterized the issue as state regulation treating elevated manganese as contamination requiring corrective action).

Because the transcript contains inconsistent cost figures, the city clerk or public works department should be consulted for the official contract value and grant terms; the council record and the executed agreement will provide the definitive numbers and award date.