Wildwood commissioners Monday awarded a contract of nearly $900,000 to upgrade the city’s existing water system.
The contract with U.S. Water Services Corporation is part of $1.9 million that will be spent to increase capacity of the water system to accommodate the city’s rapid growth.
City Manager Jason McHugh said the expenditures are covered by impact fees.
Additional water capacity is needed due to Wildwood’s growth, including the massive Villages of Southern Oaks development south of State Road 44 on both sides of the Florida Turnpike. The city’s total property value is expected to surpass $1 billion for the first time, up over a third from last year.
Mayor Ed Wolf said having an adequate water system is the key to growth.
“If you don’t have this, you don’t have anything,” he said.
The project includes replacement and refurbishing of equipment, as well as enlarging the capacity.
The bid from U.S. Water Services Corporation was the lowest of three bids received.
Incorporated in 2003, U.S. Water Services is the largest privately owned utility management, operations and maintenance company in Florida. It provides operations and maintenance services to more than 850 utility systems and operates over 1,000 water and waste water treatment plants.
The company operates from eight Florida locations, including Ocala, and also has offices in Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas.
Commissioners also approved a $19,000 contract with Kimley-Horn to administer the project.
Besides upgrading its existing treatment plant, Wildwood also is spending $6.6 million to build the Oxford Water Treatment Plant on the west side of U.S. 301, about a quarter mile south of County Road 466.
