The West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) has initiated a competitive bidding process with a request for proposals (RFP) for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of its recycled water facilities.
West Basin utilizes contracted services to operate and maintain its five recycled water facilities: the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility in El Segundo; the Juanita Millender-McDonald Carson Regional Water Recycling Plant in Carson; the Chevron Nitrification Treatment Plant in El Segundo; the Torrance Refinery Water Recycling Plant in Torrance; and the Hyperion Secondary Effluent Pump Station in Playa del Rey.
The scope of services and agreement terms aim to align with modern contract frameworks and the needs of a District with a nearly 30-year-old track record of reliably providing recycled water to its customers. Agreement terms recognize the changed conditions of influent water quality, the age and condition of the system’s infrastructure, and a universal need to be cost-efficient. The new contract will balance the risks and rewards associated with operating such a highly complex and advanced treatment system.
“The West Basin Municipal Water District is conducting a thorough and transparent solicitation process that will result in optimized operations and position the District for long-term success as it enters a new era of water recycling for the service area and region,” said General Manager E.J. Caldwell.
The solicitation process is expected to conclude with board review and approval in late winter, with an O&M service provider projected to be operating under a new contract by summer 2025. The contract term would be for five years, with options for two five-year extensions.
The West Basin Board of Directors (Board) has authorized and supported a competitive solicitation process, starting with ad hoc committees that began in July 2023 to consider options. The most recent staff report given at the September 2024 Board meeting, including a presentation, can be found online (Sept. 2024 report link). Bidding information is online at www.westbasin.org/doing-business.
Board President Desi Alvarez stated, “It is important to recognize that we are shifting to a more agile contract framework that will provide maximum value and will ultimately serve the District well. This has been an important goal for the District and I am very pleased to see that the District will be receiving competitive bids for this critical service."
The West Basin recycled water program helps ensure water supply reliability to its customers, communities and region at large by producing a locally controlled, sustainable supply of water. West Basin began recycling water in the early 1990s in response to a major drought in the 1980s. Today, West Basin produces up to 40 million gallons a day of recycled water for irrigation, industrial, and groundwater replenishment via the West Basin seawater barrier. The program reduces the need for imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River, replenishes our groundwater supplies, and improves ocean water quality by diverting wastewater discharge to the ocean. Learn more at www.westbasin.org/recycledwater.