CLWA to Consider Cost Increases

(January 9, 2006, as appeared in The Signal (Santa Clarita Valley))

The Castaic Lake Water Agency board of directors is set to consider on Wednesday two cost increases for services being performed by contractors working on the expansion of the agency’s administration building in Saugus.

They are two “change orders,” one for the contract with Chino-based Moore Flooring, Inc., for an increase of $7,652, and the other with Laguna Hills-based Orange Builders, Inc. for an increase of $20,999 to “the fire suppression contract” as noted in the staff report.

“During the past five months of construction, a number of items have arisen during construction including unknown or unforeseen buried utilities or conditions and/or clarification of contract documents that have resulted in additional costs,” the staff report said.

They are two change orders out of about a dozen that total $57,725 for the whole administration building expansion project.

“The estimated total project cost approved in the FY 2005/06 budget is $3,100,000 and the current estimated total project cost is $3,225,519,” the staff report said. Staff recommends approval of the change orders.

Another item on the board’s agenda is a work authorization for the design services for the Honby Parallel Phase 2 project.

“Staff has completed review of the proposals and is recommending selection of Kennedy/Jenks Consultants to design the pipeline and issue a work authorization for the services,” the staff report said.

A request for proposals was issued in late October for the work, and according to the staff report, three consulting firms were invited to propose and all firms responded. The firms that submitted proposals were Black & Veatch, Carollo Engineers and Kennedy/Jenks Consultants. The work would have a budget of $290,000.

Another agenda item considers a budget adjustment for design and construction observation services to relocate approximately 530 linear feet of the 54-inch Castaic Conduit Pipeline.

A staff report for the adjustment said that the Newhall Land and Farming Co. requested that the agency relocate the pipeline as Newhall Land was developing property in the Rye Canyon area for the Centerpoint project.

“Additionally, the city of Santa Clarita is in the process of extending Newhall Ranch Road from the intersection of Newhall Ranch Road with Copper Hill Drive west to Interstate 5,” the staff report said.

Unknown utility interferences and winter rains delayed construction completion and increased the cost. The work is being done on Newhall Land’s dime, and the adjustment of $86,650 adds onto the $40,000 that already has been allocated from Newhall Land to the agency.

Copyright 2006, The Signal