LAKEPORT >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors approved a bid contract with K.J. Woods Construction, Inc. for $6.9 million to begin the Anderson Springs sewer collection system project.
The project is critical in the recovery of a community devastated by the Valley Fire in 2015. Because of modern code requirements, many of the more than 190 homes destroyed in the blaze cannot be rebuilt without the upgraded system.
Although the low bid came in just over the budget agreement of $6.8 million, it still fell below the approved funding amount of $7.4 million. K.J. Woods also met all requirements needed for the bid agreement.
“This bid came in about $400,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate, but was still under the approved amount of the State Water Resource Control Board,” Special District Administrator Jan Coppinger said.
Construction of the sewer system will occur in two phases. The first — covered under the current bid — involves the installation of the main collection system, with force main piping and lateral assembly for each building. The phase will also allow for future connections to be made without compromising the whole sewer system, Coppinger said.
The $7.4 million budget, along with all aspects of the project are only part of the first phase.
Coppinger said the county worked through multiple agencies, elected officials and staff to secure $10.5 million to install the sewer system.
“Three different funding agencies have stepped up and signed up for funding agreements to help make this project a reality,” Coppinger said.
Almost $2 million came from Housing and Community Development (CDBG) for onsite installation of wet wells and grinder pumps, $1.2 million from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for construction management and inspection and $7.4 million from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) for the planning and construction of the project.
The project was being advertised to receive bids in August of this year and was open starting in September. K.J. Woods Construction, Inc. was the lowest bidder amongst the four bids that were received.
Coppinger said that a notice to proceed with the project will not be issued until they receive a final funding approval agreement from the SWRCB.
“With this and the two other water systems that were destroyed from the Valley Fire we are coming back better and stronger than we ever were before the fire and that I think is exciting when you go through a disaster and you can say when it’s over you are much better than you were before the fire,” Coppinger said.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said when they tried to put in a new sewer system a month after the Valley Fire, state authorities voiced doubts about the project and did not support the effort. Now, two years later, it has become possible. Brown credited Coppinger and State Senator Mike McGuire.
“There’s no doubt in this room of exactly who’s responsible for making this happen and I really appreciate that,” Brown said.
He added that Coppinger put in a lot of effort and made the project credible and compelling so people wanted to help get the project done.
