Agenda Item: 15(d)
Prepared By: Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager
Business: City Council Item
Department: Water and Sewer
Title
Award of Contract to Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC for Replacement of the North Water Treatment Plant Filter Press (Model 1200N32-40-50SYLC), Including Parts, Labor, and Installation, in the Amount of $452,078.00 - Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager, Water & Sewer Department
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BACKGROUND:
The North Water Treatment Plant (NWTP) utilizes lime softening as the first stage of its treatment process. In this process, lime is added to raw water to remove hardness by precipitating dissolved minerals (primarily calcium and magnesium) out of solution. The resulting lime slurry, which contains the precipitated solids, must then be thickened and dewatered prior to offsite disposal. Effective and consistent dewatering is critical to minimizing hauling costs, maintaining regulatory compliance, and ensuring that the sludge handling systems operate reliably without bottlenecks.
The plant's existing lime sludge press was originally procured as a used unit and installed in 2004. The press operates approximately 8-10 hours per day under continuous duty conditions. After more than two decades of service in a wet, abrasive, and highly corrosive environment, the equipment has reached the end of its useful life. Key components - including the screw conveyor, dewatering plates, bearings, and structural frame - exhibit severe wear and corrosion. As a result, the unit now requires frequent maintenance interventions and near-weekly repairs to remain operational. These recurring breakdowns increase staffing demands, elevate operational risk, and have the potential to disrupt sludge management if the unit becomes inoperable.
Evoqua Water Technologies is the original manufacturer of the existing sludge press and the sole authorized provider of compatible replacement units, proprietary components, and technical support for this equipment line. While o...
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