SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a Work Order to McKim and Creed for professional engineering services for the Recovery and Retreatment of Flushed Drinking Water for Conservation Project, 24-0078-UT, in the amount of $294,506.00 pursuant to RFQ 34-23, Engineer of Record (EOR) Consulting Services and authorize the appropriation officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The City maintains water quality across more than 550 miles of potable water distribution piping. In 2025, more than 207 million gallons (MG), approximately 5.1% of total drinking water production, was flushed to maintain minimum chlorine residuals in areas with excessive water age. More than 57% of the flushed volume, over 118 MG per year, was discharged through four automatic flushing devices in the vicinity of Belleair Road and Clearwater-Largo Road near the point of maximum residence served by Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant No. 2 (RO2).
This project will evaluate recovering a portion of this flushed potable water and returning it to beneficial use. The proposed concept would convey recovered water from up to four candidate interconnect locations along the Belleair Road corridor into an existing 16-inch raw water main near Belleair Road and South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. The recovered water would blend with the brackish groundwater supply conveyed to RO2 and would be retreated to drinking water standards before redistribution. McKim & Creed will prepare a Basis of Design Report (BODR) evaluating hydraulic feasibility, water quality and blending impacts, connection alternatives, permitting considerations, constructability, lifecycle cost, and a preliminary design basis for the recommended interconnect configuration.
The work includes hydraulic modeling of the potable and RO2 raw water systems, source-water blending and water-quality evaluation, bench-scale blend/reactivity testing planning and coordination, evaluation of up to four recovery connection locations, an engineer's opinion of probable construction cost, and cost-benefit analysis. The Work Order is limited to planning and preparation of the BODR; design, permitting, bidding, and construction-phase services are not included and would be addressed under subsequent work orders.
McKim & Creed will provide these professional engineering services pursuant to RFQ 34-23, Engineer of Record (EOR) Consulting Services. This Work Order authorizes the planning, evaluation, and Basis of Design Report services described above under the City’s EOR consulting services contract.
The project is anticipated to be completed in approximately 250 calendar days from issuance of the notice to proceed. The final BODR will establish recommendations for the preferred connection location and configuration, key design criteria, regulatory coordination, and next steps for advancing the project.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funding for this work order is available in capital project 321-96767, RO Plant @ Res #2, funded by revenues from the Water & Sewer Utility Enterprise Fund.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
In furtherance of the Council's Strategic Plan to achieve High Performing Government by maintaining public infrastructure through systematic management efforts, approval of a Work Order to McKim & Creed is requested.
