Manhattan Beach Council awards $27.8 million 28th Street stormwater contract to Zusser after questions about past labor fine

The Manhattan Beach City Council voted 3-2 on Dec. 16 to award a construction contract to Zusser Company for the 28th Street stormwater infiltration project, authorizing up to $27,839,691 including contingency. Council also approved a $1,095,755 construction management agreement with TransTech Engineers and a $521,380 design amendment to CWE for construction support.

The project is designed to capture and infiltrate polluted stormwater from the 28th Street outfall—identified by staff and consultants as a major contributor to bacteria exceedances that affect Santa Monica Bay—before it reaches the ocean. Interim Public Works Director Ted Siman and Senior Civil Engineer Eduardo (Eddie) Peck told the council that the design captures the initial, high-concentration flush of runoff and routes it into infiltration wells; staff estimated major construction would span roughly 12 to 15 months with work beginning in mid‑March.

The decision followed extended public comment and council debate focused on two competing concerns: the urgency of meeting MS4 permit requirements and preventing ongoing water-quality exceedances, and whether the lowest bidder, Zusser, had properly disclosed recent legal and administrative actions. Multiple speakers from environmental groups including Surfrider and…