The Bend City Council authorized a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Wednesday for construction of the intake facility and pipeline components of the Surface Water Improvement Project. The GMP from Mortenson Construction provides a guarantee to the City that the defined scope of work for the two project elements can be constructed within the authorized “maximum” price of $23,679,438. This amount includes about $4.4 million of work previously authorized by City Council.
Mortenson Construction serves as the construction manager and general contractor after being selected in March 2011 through a formal procurement process. Mortenson’s participation in the design phases has enabled the project team to evaluate the most cost-effective way to design and construct project elements. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2012.
On March 7, 2012, the City Council passed a resolution for a new approach to the project that prioritizes the replacement of the aging pipelines and intake facility while slowing further design and construction of the water treatment plant. The City is currently working with the State for more time to respond to treatment rules. Plans for a proposed hydroelectric facility were place on indefinite hold. Additional infrastructure will be needed to connect the pipeline to the existing water system if City Council decides not to move forward with the delayed facilities.
About the Surface Water Improvement project
The Bend Public Works Department is addressing aging infrastructure and new federal requirements to ensure continued access to cost effective, clean, and reliable drinking water for Bend residents and businesses now and for the future. The Surface Water Improvement Project will update the City’s Bridge Creek water supply system and provide residents continued access to high-quality drinking water by:
- Replacing failing water supply pipelines with a new pipeline under existing roadways.
- Adding flow-control features to the new pipeline; minimizing environmental impacts by only diverting water needed for beneficial use by the City of Bend.
- Providing new state compliant fish screening at the Bridge Creek intake facility site.
Future phases of the project may include building a treatment plant to filter water from Bridge Creek and meet new federal drinking water regulations and building a hydroelectric facility to generate renewable revenue.
More information is available on the project website: www.bendoregon.gov/surfacewater.