Fort Lauderdale Commission approves major contracts
From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Commission approved several major contracts during a recent meeting.
The Commission approved a $46 million agreement for the design and construction of 48-inch and 54-inch wastewater force mains along SE 9th Avenue and SE 10th Avenue to the George T. Lohmeyer Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project will rehabilitate or replace more than 15,000 linear feet of existing pipes and install an additional 8,220 linear feet of pipes. The project will also incur approximately $6.1 million in estimated fees for construction engineering and inspection services and in-house project management for a total amount of $52.1 million.
The Commission approved agreements with three parties for the implementation of advanced metering infrastructure, an integrated system of smart water meters, communication networks, and data management systems. The City owns and operates more than 65,000 water meters that utilize mechanical moving parts to measure water flow. These older meters degrade over time and can register inaccurate flow measurements, resulting in inconsistent water billing, and dissatisfaction among residents. The new meters will use solid state technology to provide more accurate readings and allow for remote turn on/off. Customers will be able to monitor water consumption through a customer portal and receive reports of abnormal water usage that may be associated with a break. The three agreements amount to $69.9 million, with $21.1 million of that dedicated to 20-year operational and maintenance costs.
The Commission accepted an advanced partial payment of $5.35 million from the City’s property insurance carriers for damages sustained to City Hall during the April 2023 flood event. The City previously recovered $500,000 from its insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program. The City continues to pursue potential future insurance payments.
The Commission adopted a resolution to approve a plan to reduce lead emissions at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), located at 6000 NW 21st Avenue. Residents who live close to the airport raised concerns about aviation gas potentially contaminating soil and air quality following a study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Soil samples were screened for lead concentration at four sites where pre-flight checks are performed before takeoff. While a report indicated that lead concentration existed in the soil samples, the amounts did not exceed regulatory levels established by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FXE is currently working to promote a safe transition from aviation gas to aircraft unleaded fuel.
