Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Melbourne council approves baffle‑box designs, new pipe inspections and contracts for stormwater projects
Loading...
Summary
The City Council approved multiple design task orders and a pipe inspection work order as part of an expanded program to install baffle boxes to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus entering Crane Creek and the lagoon. Staff warned of future maintenance needs and equipment costs.
Council members on Feb. 10 approved several engineering task orders and a pipe‑inspection work order tied to the city’s expanding baffle‑box stormwater program. The actions fund design work, pre‑resurfacing inspections and contractor services intended to limit nutrient pollution from stormwater before it reaches Crane Creek and the lagoon.
Assistant city engineer Danny Straub told the council the city’s newer baffle boxes use a bioactivated media that removes an estimated roughly 60% of nitrogen from the water column compared with about 19% for older designs. Straub outlined maintenance requirements: monthly cleaning of stainless steel skimmer baskets, periodic vac‑truck cleanings and more frequent inspections after storm events. He said the program has relied heavily on outside grant funding (including DEP, St. Johns and SOARL) that has covered about 23% of construction costs to date.
Council approved work order number 11 to Shenandoah General Construction LLC for pre‑resurfacing pipe inspections—about 23,000 linear feet—at a not‑to‑exceed amount of $440,000. Separately, the council approved four DRMP task orders (continuing engineering contract) for design services at Riverview Park ($126,558), Melbourne Cemetery (about $127,725), Line Street Cemetery ($121,050) and Darrow Avenue ($128,800). Each motion carried on council votes.
Straub said the program will require new equipment and staffing as the boxes grow deeper and more numerous: a higher‑capacity vac truck capable of reaching 30‑foot depths, additional safety tripods for confined‑space entry, upgrades to older first‑generation boxes and a dedicated baffle‑box technician and specialized mowing crew. He said these are foreseeable maintenance and capital costs that will need to be programmed in future budgets.
Mayor and council members praised the environmental benefits shown in field demonstrations. Councilmember Russo asked whether next‑generation boxes become more efficient; Straub replied they are improving and that the vendor is testing design modifications. Council directed staff to return with project details and implementation steps as designs are finalized.
The approvals keep the city moving on a multiyear compliance effort to meet state nutrient‑reduction requirements for the lagoon while highlighting follow‑up costs for maintenance and equipment.
