Wichita City Council approves $4 million contract to help startup new water plant

The Wichita City Council approved a $4 million contract with Operational Technical Services on Tuesday to help the city startup and operate its new water treatment plant for one year.

Short-term operations were initially included in the city’s 2018 request for proposals for the Northwest Water Treatment Facility, but former Mayor Jeff Longwell pushed to drop the operations portion from the contract after the city’s selection committee raised concerns about his favored bidder — Wichita Water Partners, which told the city it planned to use a firm linked to water problems in Flint, Michigan and Pittsburgh to help startup the new plant.

Wichita Water Partners, a joint venture between Burns & McDonnell and Alberici, ultimately was awarded the contract while Jacobs Engineering, the city selection committee’s recommended bidder and a top water plant operator, dropped out of the competition.

The Northwest Water Treatment Facility, a $574 million project aimed at replacing the city’s nearly 90-year-old sole water treatment plant, is expected to come online in April 2025, Director of Public Works and Utilities Gary Jansen said.

For at least one year, the city will operate both the Northwest Water Treatment Facility and the Main Water Plant.

Operational Technical Services will be responsible for advising the city on startup, commissioning and operations. The Los Angeles-based company will also develop a disinfection plan, startup and commissioning plan, operations plan, training plan, site safety plan, risk management plan, maintenance and repair plans and training for city staff along with temporary staffing as the city attempts to hire new water operators.