Detroit Water Board Approves Sewer Repair Contracts to Inland Waters, Rejecting Lakeshore Engineering Protest

On December 16, 2009, the Board of Water Commissioners narrowly approved two sewer repair contracts, worth upwards of $80 million, to Inland Waters Pollution Control, Inc. 

Lakeshore Engineering, the second bidder, protested the award to Inland Waters. Anthony Adams, former Deputy Mayor and Interim Director of DWSD, spoke on behalf of Lakeshore Engineering during the public comment session. 

Despite concerns about awarding both contracts to one contractor, the Board later approved  the award of both contracts (DWS-876 and DWS-877) to Inland Waters. The votes were 6-1 and 4-3 respectively. Each contract was approved at a cost not-to-exceed of $40 million.  Both contracts must still be approved by the Detroit City Council.

These two contracts replace earlier sewer repair contracts that had been held by Inland Waters and Lakeshore Engineering.  

Monica Conyer's Sentencing Delayed (Again)

The Detroit Free Press reports (here) that the sentencing date for Monica Conyers, in connection with her guilty plea in the Synagro Scandal, has been pushed off again to March 10, 2010, from January 15th. The disgraced former City Council Member admitted earlier this year accepting a $6,000 bribe for voting to approve a $1.2 billion contract for sludge hauling contract. 

Weiss Construction Low Bidder on PC-776 Project

Earlier today, Weiss Construction submitted the lowest bid for the PC-776 project. Weiss beat out 7 other bidders for the project with a low bid of $25,312,000. Weiss' bid was $182,000 lower than the Engineer's Estimate for this project, which involves replacement of 25 pumps at Detroit's main waste treatment plant at 9300 W. Jefferson, and related electrical work. 

Weiss --------- $ 25,312,000
Walsh --------- $ 25,550,771
Lakeshore ---- $ 25,972,000
Walbridge ---- $ 26,360,000
Tooles -------- $ 26,420,104
DeMaria ----- $ 26,892,000
White -------- $ 28,145,000
DCI ---------- $ 28,626,000

Contract PC-776 involves providing new power supply cable to and from the secondary clarifiers and substation MCCs, providing new MCCs at each secondary clarifier, providing short-circuit analysis and fault rating, providing detailed hydraulic analysis and sizing of the pumps related to secondary clarifiers RAS pumping, providing 25 RAS pumps at the secondary clarifiers and completing all miscellaneous electrical work such as replacement of cables, conduit, pull boxes, panels and junction boxes.

Genesee County Proceeding with Plans for New Water System, Pipeline

Genesee County is reportedly proceeding with plans announced earlier this year, and reported here, to construct a new $600 million water transmission pipeline and water treatment plant.

Under the auspices of the new Karegnondi Water Authority, Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright is spearheading this effort, which is aimed at giving Genesee and Sanilac Counties, along with the cities of Lapeer, Imlay City, and Flint more control over their water rates. Mr. Wright has touted significant ($200 million) savings for Genesee County residents, but a recent article in The Davison Index notes that those savings are projected to be "in the long run, after a slight increase over the course of a 25-year bond to pay for the pipeline."

Comment: Unless I'm misreading things, this means the projected savings for Genesee County residents won't materialize for more than a generation. Isn't that like promising a tax cut . . . that doesn't kick in until 2034?

Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Repair: Ric-Man Construction Scores First 2 Contracts

The first two contracts for repair of the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor were bid on November 23 and 24th and Ric-Man Construction was read low bidder on both projects.

OMI Contract No. 1

• Ric-Man Construction       $12,486,880 
• Jay Dee Contractors          $12,821,800
• Dan’s Excavating               $14,488,800
  

OMI Contract No. 2  

• Ric-Man Construction      $16,338,600 
• Jay Dee Contractors        $18,814,000 
• Dan’s Excavating             $20,973,000