HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/23/1996, C-1 - BELT FILTER PRESS RELOCATION PROJECT AT THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY council MD.�
July 23 1996
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C I TY OF SAN LU I S 0 B I S P 0
FROM: John Moss 9m PREPARED BY: Dan Gilmore D4+.
Utilities Dire for Utilities Engineer
SUBJECT: Belt Filter Press Relocation Project at the Water Reclamation Facility
CAO.RECOMMENDATION:
By motion, 1) award contract to Total-Western, Inc. in the amount of$398,810 for construction
of the Belt Filter Press Relocation Project, and 2) appropriate an additional $55,000 from the
Sewer Fund to the project budget.
DISCUSSION:
In March of 1993, the City purchased a used, trailer mounted belt filter press for dewatering
digested wastewater sludge at the Water Reclamation Facility. It was determined that the sludge
drying beds by themselves did not have adequate capacity for dewatering sludge, particularly in
the rainy season. The belt filter press is presently housed in a trailer that is badly corroded and
inhibits access for operation and maintenance. The current belt filter press configuration results
in difficult maintenance, inefficient operations, and unsafe conditions. In addition, the lack of
protection from stormwater creates problems for both the equipment and the dewatered sludge.
This project involves the construction of a permanent pad mount for the belt filter press and
related equipment. The facility will include all the necessary piping, a building to shield the belt
filter press and equipment from weather and visual impacts, and a cover extending over the
sludge drying/storage bed. Construction is expected to take 8-10 weeks.
On May 21, 1996, Council approved the plans and specifications for the Belt Filter Press Project.
The project was advertised on June 1, 1996 and the bids were opened on July 3, 1996. The low
bidder was Total-Westem,Inc. with a bid of$398,810. An additional $55,000 is needed to cover
the price bid for this work, including a 10% contingency. Six bids were received ranging from
the low of $398,810 to a high of $479,723. Staff believes the bids are reasonable since the
middle four bids were all within a 6% margin.
ALTERNATIVES:
An alternative to the Belt Filter Press Relocation Project would be to eliminate or defer the
project. This is not recommended since the Water Reclamation Facility does not have adequate
sludge drying bed space to operate without the belt filter press, and emergency repairs to the belt
filter press have been costly.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The engineer's estimate for this phase of the proposed project was $350,000. The design phase
was $35,000, and an emergency parts purchase during the holidays was $9,800. The total
estimated project cost is $394,800. A total of $300,000 was approved for the design/and
construction of the belt filter press in the 1995-97 Financial Plan (Appendix B, pages 63-64).
Less the design and emergency expenses, a total of $255,200 remained to support this project.
On May 21, 1996, Council allocated an additional $130,000 to cover the revised project estimate,
prepared by Brown & Caldwell. The revised project estimate fell short of the actual bid amount
by $48,810. This report recommends the allocation of an additional $55,000 from the Sewer
Fund to the project budget to cover the low bid of $398,810 and maintain a 10% contingency.
The Sewer Fund has adequate reserves to finance the project due to the equity share contribution
from Cal Poly for the recent Water Reclamation Facility upgrades. The following table illustrates
the cost issues mentioned above:
Proposed
Belt Filter Rrms Approved Actual Additional
Design 35,000 35,000 0
Emergency Parts 9,800 9,800 0
Construction 350,000 398,810 48,810
Contingency 35.200 41,390 6.190
Total $430,000 $485,000 $55,000
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