Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Riviera Beach utility district reports progress on water-plant construction and well rehabilitations
Loading...
Summary
Contractors told the district board that GMP 5 permit sets are advancing and that Riviera Beach is on a $242 million priority list; the state approved $30 million this year with up to $6 million eligible for principal forgiveness. Staff also reported multiple well rehabilitations and interim plant work.
Contractors and staff told the City of Riviera Beach Utility Special District on April 15 that construction and permitting for the long-planned water treatment plant are progressing and that several wells have been rehabilitated to increase capacity.
Nigel Grace of Brown and Caldwell said the JV has completed permitting review cycles for GMP 5 and is mobilizing trailers and site preparation work ahead of major construction. "We're in the process of preparing GMP 6 for the raw water transmission infrastructure," Grace said, referring to the pipeline that will carry raw water from new supply wells to the plant.
Suzanne Mechler, speaking for the Haskell/CDM Smith joint-venture, told the board Riviera Beach was placed on a priority funding list for $242,000,000 and that the state approved $30,000,000 this fiscal year. She said 20% of the approved amount — a maximum of $6,000,000 — may be available as principal forgiveness because the project meets criteria for a financially disadvantaged community. Mechler said staff will submit a formal application, due in June, and that some state grants require final DEP review and approval of the state budget before funds are released.
Board members pressed for details about the South Florida Water Management District alternative-water-supply funding tied to GMP 6; Mechler said that program can offer up to a 50% cost share on the $22,000,000 project value but that actual awards depend on available funds and subsequent DEP approvals.
Staff and contractors also updated the board on well-field work. An on-site presenter said drilling and conduit installation are complete at one well site, other wells are in development or mobilizing, and surface and pumping-system improvements are under way. GlobalTech reported substantial capacity improvements at a rehabilitated well (staff described increases from roughly 300 gallons per minute toward about 800 gallons per minute at one location) and that monitoring-well construction and sanitary-survey preparations are in progress.
Board materials and the presentations show a mix of near-term construction activity (GMP 5 permit sets and mobilization) and continuing design and funding work (GMP 6 and grant applications). The district expects to submit a formal state funding application in June and to continue well rehabilitation and plant improvements through the coming months.
