Johnstown approves water master plan update contract for up to $326,400
The council authorized the town manager to sign. The update is intended to assess demand, supply and treatment capacity and produce a prioritized capital plan; the town applied for federal funding that could cover up to half the cost.
Johnstown Town Council approved a sole-source agreement with J-U-B Engineers Inc. to update the town’s water system master plan, with the contract not to exceed $326,400.
The council approved the sole-source agreement with JUB Engineers Inc. for a water system master plan update, capped at $326,400, and authorized the town manager to execute it. Mayor Michael Duncan announced that the motion carried after an electronic vote. Councilmember Jesse Molinar Jr. put the agreement’s total at $326,000 and said the 50% match would bring the Town’s share to $163,000.
Molinar said the Town last updated its comprehensive water system master plan in 2015 and that the project, pending approval, would start in 2026 and continue through 2027. Molinar said the update would assess current conditions, project 20-year and ultimate build-out demand, calibrate the Town’s hydraulic model, and examine water supply, treatment capacity and drought resilience. Molinar said the update would include a prioritized capital improvement plan for future budget guidance. The attached agreement sets its term from the effective date through June 30, 2028, and says it may not extend beyond then without the Town’s written approval.
Molinar described the agreement with JUB Engineers Inc. as a sole-source award. He said JUB currently does water-system modeling for the Town on a case-by-case basis when new projects arise. Molinar said, “So for us to bring a new consultant in, it would use up a lot of the budget to just bring them up to speed with our current system and get that model calibrated.”
Molinar said JUB helped identify a grant that could cover up to 50% of the plan’s cost and submitted an application for it. Molinar said JUB could help administer the grant and that this would cut costs. The Town’s application for the FY2024 WaterSMART Planning and Project Design Grants was among those receiving the highest ratings and was being considered for a financial assistance agreement. The application sought $163,200 for the Town of Johnstown Water Master Strategy Plan Project, and the Bureau of Reclamation letter said Reclamation anticipated awarding the same amount in federal funds. The final funding amount could be adjusted, and sufficient evidence that non-Federal cost share would be available was required before award.