Newton awards $867,000 contract to rebuild water-treatment filters; total project cost $1,059,700

Public Works and Utilities Director Dusty Wentz told council that laboratory analysis in October 2018 showed the primary filter media at the Water Treatment Plant were underperforming, increasing the plants chemical use to meet drinking-water standards. Council previously contracted The Wooten Company in February 2019 for engineering services to evaluate and design the rebuild.

On Feb. 6, 2020, city staff and The Wooten Company opened bids and received five responses. Staff recommended James E. Harris Construction as the lowest qualified and most responsive bidder at a base bid of $867,000. Staff also recommended a 10% contingency ($86,700) and noted the previously approved engineering contract of $106,600. The minutes record that the base bid with allowance and contingency brings the construction total to $953,700 and that the overall project cost including engineering is $1,059,700.

Council voted unanimously to award the WTP Filter Rebuild Contract to James E. Harris Construction and adopted the related capital project and budget ordinance amendment to transfer operating funds to a capital project fund to cover the multi-year nature of the work. The minutes show no opposition and do not include verbatim quotes; they summarize the bid review, staff recommendation and unanimous approval.

The project moves the Water Treatment Plant filter rehabilitation from operating to a capital project fund so funds remain available as construction and administration continue across fiscal years. Staff recommended and council approved a 10% contingency to cover potential change orders.