Palm Coast council approves contracts to expand wastewater capacity amid DEP consent order

The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved two measures tied to a multi-year wastewater upgrade program, voting to release an early guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for site improvements and to enter a master services agreement with Jacobs Engineering for program management and engineering services.

City staff said the overall upgrade of Wastewater Treatment Plant 1 is a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar undertaking; the site‑improvement GMP discussed is a smaller, early package to keep the construction schedule moving. “It’s about a $180,000,000 type project,” a city engineering lead said, explaining the GMP’s role in preparing soil and other groundwork before the larger plant contract is brought back to council.

The council then considered a $4.7 million master services agreement with Jacobs to provide program management, master planning, effluent strategy and inflow/infiltration analysis. Staff described the Jacobs contract as time‑and‑materials, with a stated ‘not to exceed’ cap and a contingency on the smaller items. The agreement covers six tasks now, with a potential seventh task to be brought back to council if needed.

Vice Mayor Pontieri said multiple funding sources would be used, including bond funds approved earlier by the council, capacity/impact fees and modest grant dollars. “A good bit of this is funded through the bond funds,” staff said during the presentation.

Several residents spoke during the public comment period, raising concerns about water safety, recurring boil‑water notices and past contracting. Marilyn Mack asked why the city hired an outside consultant before auditing enterprise funds; Jeanne Duarte raised broader water‑quality worries. Council members and staff responded that the utility fund is an enterprise fund subject to different charter rules and that the city continues to test and monitor water quality. “The water is safe,” the vice mayor said, adding that the consent order and the capital program address regulatory and health requirements.

Both measures passed on unanimous votes. Staff told council that the larger GMP and major construction contracts for the plant will be returned to the dais for further approvals as bidding and design proceed. The Jacobs agreement is intended to provide on‑the‑ground program management during design and construction and to help the city meet DEP timelines and permit obligations.

Next steps: staff will continue procurement and design activities, return with the large GMP and construction package in the coming months, and provide progress updates to council on schedule and cost control.