PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson PUD commissioners awarded a $1.3 million construction contract to Pacific Civil and Infrastructure to remove and replace aged and failing water mains in Coyle.
Pacific Civil and Infrastructure (PCI) was the lowest responsive bidder among eight other applicants, according to a news release. The bids came well under the original engineer’s estimate of $2.7 million, PUD Water Superintendent Jose Escalera said, with the majority of bids being less than $2 million.
“We had 15 contractors at the pre-bid meeting, so we knew there was a lot of interest,” Escalera stated in the news release.
The Coyle water system serves 118 customers at the southernmost end of the Toandos Peninsula, and the PUD acquired ownership in 2012 after it failed multiple water quality tests under previous management. The system has the highest leakages of any water system owned or operated by the PUD due to inferior construction methods, Escalera said.
The three-year average leak rate estimate for the Coyle system was 62.4 percent. The state guideline for water systems is less than 10 percent over a three-year average.
Tacoma-based PCI will remove and replace about 8,800 feet of 40-year-old asbestos-cement water main pipe and install new 6-inch PVC lines throughout. Additional work will include installing new fire hydrants, removing outdated hydrants, reconnecting existing water services, replacing roadway surfaces and restoring the public right-of-way as needed.
Construction will begin in February and is expected to be completed by the end of April.
The project will be funded by a combination grant and a low-interest loan from the state Public Works Board, according to the news release.
