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Milton-Freewater awards ASR feasibility study under $1.4M grant; delays water rate study decision
Summary
Council awarded a Business Oregon–backed Aquifer Storage and Recovery feasibility contract to Summit Water Resources and tabled a separate water rate study bid for review after objections to the low bidder’s submittal; the ASR drilling component is estimated at about $1.1 million.
Milton-Freewater — The City Council on June 8 approved a contract to advance an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) feasibility study using a Business Oregon grant and delayed action on a separately funded water rate study to allow councilors to review competing bids.
Public Works Engineering Technician Steven Patten told the council the city was awarded $1,435,062 through Business Oregon for ASR due diligence and related feasibility work. Staff recommended Summit Water Resources, LLC of Portland as the most qualified firm to perform Phase 1 services, including drilling a test borehole and hydrogeologic analysis. Patten said roughly $1.1 million of the grant will go toward drilling the test borehole and the city’s match for the ASR program is $89,938; council authorized staff to negotiate services and return with payment approval and a contract (unanimous).
On a separate procurement, the council reviewed bids for a state-required water rate study funded by a $20,000 forgivable Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Project (SIPP) loan. Five proposals were received; staff recommended FCS, a Bowman company, at $39,800 based on submitted scope and scoring. The lowest-priced bidder, OAWU ($18,500), submitted a one-page proposal that reviewers said lacked a work plan and scored lowest. Councilor John Lyon moved to table the water rate study award until the July meeting so members could review the bids; the motion passed with Councilor Steve Irving dissenting.
Patten said the water rate study requirement stems from the city’s Water Management and Conservation Plan and that the analysis is expected to follow American Water Works Association M1 manual standards. Council’s tabling of the bid delays contract award and leaves current water rate analysis work on hold pending further review.
The ASR award advances the city’s long-term water-supply resiliency work; the water rate study decision will be revisited at the July council meeting.
