Nine contractors were deemed prequalified to solicit bids for the rehabilitation of the Fallbrook Public Utility District’s wastewater treatment plant.

The FPUD board voted 4-0 Feb. 25, with Archie McPhee abstaining, to authorize staff to solicit bids from the nine prequalified contractors.

"We prequalified contractors to make sure that only contractors that had done this type of work could be allowed to bid," said FPUD engineering and planning manager Jack Bebee.

The rehabilitation will increase the treatment plant’s reliability and improve compliance with regulatory requirements. The upgrades will also allow for storage of recycled water, and a new dechlorination facility will ensure compliance with FPUD’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board last year.

The design phase has been completed, and FPUD has obtained a loan from the State Water Resources Control Board for the upgrades. The State Revolving Fund loan of $22,154,148 would be paid back over a 20-year period at an interest Advertisement

[ Christ the King Lutheran Church ] rate of approximately 2.5 percent. The cost covers oversight and other administrative costs as well as the construction itself.

FPUD staff developed the prequalification process to ensure that bidders are qualified for the size and scope of the project. The district advertised for contractors to complete the prequalification application and received 13 such applications. Nine of those contractors met the previously-approved criteria, so the final design documents will be sent only to those contractors.

"I’m looking forward to the actual letting of the contract and getting started on the refurbishment of a very old wastewater treatment plant that certainly needs updating," said FPUD general manager Brian Brady. "It will be much more efficient."

FPUD staff will review the bids before determining a low responsive and responsible bidder. The proposed contract will then be taken to the FPUD board for approval.

The construction is expected to take approximately 2 1/2 years. "We expect to be in construction this summer," Brady said.