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Johnson County approves exception to competition to replace aging UV disinfection systems
Summary
The board authorized a $948,515 exception to competition to purchase Trojan Technologies ultraviolet disinfection systems as in‑kind replacements at two county wastewater facilities, citing vendor support and structural constraints that would make switching vendors costly.
The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously May 28 to authorize an exception to competitive procurement to buy ultraviolet disinfection equipment from Trojan Technologies for Mill Creek Regional and New Century wastewater treatment facilities for an amount not to exceed $948,515.
Susan Picer, general manager for Johnson County Wastewater, told commissioners the facilities currently operate Generation 1 Trojan 3000 systems installed in 2004 that have reached the end of their typical 20‑year life and for which Trojan notified the county it no longer supports spare parts for that generation. Picer said the county is proposing an in‑kind replacement with Trojan’s current generation 3 model to avoid costly modifications to concrete UV channels and other infrastructure.
"Replacing in kind minimizes any sort of modifications we would need to do to those concrete channels," Picer said, explaining the proprietary nature of UV systems and the practical constraints created by the existing concrete installations.
Commissioners asked why the county should not solicit competitive bids. Staff and procurement representatives said differing UV system geometries and vendor proprietary designs can require new civil work or even new structures if the county changed manufacturers, making an in‑kind replacement the most cost‑effective option. Commissioners also asked about conflict‑of‑interest and disclosure statements; staff confirmed conflict disclosures and vendor relationships will be handled in contract documents.
Commissioner Hansick moved and Commissioner Meyers seconded the motion to authorize the exception; the clerk called the role and the measure passed 7‑0.
The county said funding for the equipment and installation was included in the 2026 budget. Procurement will follow standard contract procedures for purchase and installation; the county plans to procure equipment directly and use a pre‑existing term contractor to perform installation under previously awarded contracts.
