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Board approves large water-treatment-plant change order after questions about missed design items and contingency use
Summary
After extended discussion about design omissions, winter conditions and electrical additions, the Board of Public Works approved Change Order 4 for the water-treatment-plant upgrade and directed staff to reconcile contingency and present budget details at the next meeting.
PORT WASHINGTON — The Board of Public Works on Jan. 13 approved a substantial change order (Change Order 4) for the city’s water-treatment-plant upgrade after hearing detailed explanations from project staff and contractors and raising questions about whether items were missed during design.
Dan, the plant project lead, described multiple components added to the contract: a maintenance-shop buildout in an existing garage, epoxy floor coatings throughout several rooms, an on-site sanitary lift station (installed after discovery of a crushed sanitary line), buried downspouts to manage drainage after a flooding event, a chimney-cap replacement, winter-condition costs and a sizable electrical field order covering wire, breakers and power controls that were not included in the original bid documents.
Dan said some items were “missed” in the original plans and stressed urgency for a handful of components needed to switch over new pumps and equipment. He urged the board to approve the change order so critical long-lead electrical and vacuum-prime components could be ordered.
Board response and oversight request: Several board members pressed staff and the engineer on how design omissions occurred and whether the city should reject portions of the contractor’s request if they were the result of design error rather than site discovery. One member summarized the concern: “I don’t like the number,” and asked whether the engineer or contractor had bid the project on incomplete information. Staff acknowledged tight timelines and challenges of working on a 85–90-year-old facility that must remain online during upgrades, and said they are negotiating with the engineer and contractor as appropriate.
Budget and contingency: Staff reported the project remains within the Safe Drinking Water Fund loan amount and that contingency funds are being used. City staff committed to present a reconciliation of the project budget and contingency accounting at the next Board of Public Works meeting.
Outcome and next steps: The board approved Change Order 4 by voice vote. Staff plans to place critical equipment orders (vacuum-prime system, motors, certain electrical gear) immediately to avoid further schedule slippage and to provide the board a detailed budget reconciliation at the next meeting.
