Oak Harbor council approves roughly $2.12 million sanitary-sewer contract

Oak Harbor's City Council on Aug. 5 voted to award a construction contract for a sanitary-sewer inflow-and-infiltration rehabilitation project to SRV Construction Incorporated and authorized a $100,000 change-order allowance.

City Engineer Alex Warner introduced project staff and Andy Walsh, the city's project manager and senior utility engineer, presented the scope: crews would excavate about 1,500 feet of undersized or damaged pipe and use trenchless lining to rehabilitate roughly 9,000 feet of mainline to reduce groundwater infiltration and preserve treatment-plant capacity. Walsh summarized funding sources as including an EPA grant and local allocations and explained the work would avoid open cutting where possible in culturally sensitive areas.

Walsh described bidding and cost planning: "We went out to bid in ... June, and we received 4 bids ... We are requesting a $100,000 change order allowance in addition to their low bid. So total contract amount of $2,117,009.25 and some change," he said. Council Member Romero moved to award the contract to SRV Construction Inc., specifying a low-bid amount of $2,017,925.60 and a total construction contract amount including change orders of $2,117,925.60; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Warner told council the EPA award had been received and that design-phase spending had already begun; if construction were approved the city intended to start later that month with substantial completion targeted for early 2027. Council members asked about impacts to street trees and roots along affected streets; Walsh said the plan would use cure-in-place lining to avoid cutting through historic Garry Oaks where possible and that the city retains equipment to remove or cut severe root intrusions if necessary.

The contract award appears on the consent agenda follow-up after a council member pulled item 4c for discussion. The council vote was recorded as passing without objection.