U.S. Water News Online
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority has awarded a $275,000 contract to develop a request for proposals (RFP) for a 20 to 50 million gallon per day (mgd) seawater desalination plant. The contract was awarded to PB Water, a division of Parsons Brinckerhoff.
The West Coast Authority supplies water to its member governments, which provide drinking water to more than 1.8 million people in three counties. Authority members include the counties of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas, as well as the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and New Port Richey.
The RFP process is being cooperatively funded by the authority and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) as part of the district's efforts to find sustainable long-term water supplies for the 16 counties SWFWMD serves in west central Florida.
The West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority's mission is to provide its member governments with adequate and reliable supplies of high-quality water to meet present and future needs in an environmentally and economically sound manner.
Saltwater desalination is one of three development alternatives identified by the Authority's Master Water Plan, a 10-year resource development blueprint that will bring 50 mgd of new supply on-line in six years.
With the help of PB Water, the Authority will address water quality requirements for the desalination plant, as well as its economic and environmental feasibility, and plant operation and ownership options. PB Water will advertise the RFP, receive and evaluate proposals, and recommend to the authority the top-ranked consortium. The firm will also develop and implement a public information and involvement program.
The request for qualifications for lead developers and consortia is open as of January 1997. The request for proposals from pre-qualified bidders is slated for April 1997.
For more information, call Jim Jensen, Project Manager, Parsons Brinckerhoff in Tampa, Florida at (813) 289-5300, by fax at (813) 289-4450.
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