James W. Fowler given contract for Diaz Road sewer modification

Joe Naiman

Writer

The Eastern Municipal Water District board awarded James W. Fowler Company the EMWD construction contract for the Diaz Sewer Modification Project.

The 4-0 vote Wednesday, July 5, with Stephen Corona absent, approves a $4,914,000 contract with James W. Fowler Company. The board also authorized a $122,380 contract with HDR Engineering Inc. for engineering services during construction and a $99,810 geotechnical observation and testing services contract with Inland Foundation Engineering Inc. The total $6,415,000 authorization amount also allows for inspections, EMWD staff time costs and a $491,400 contingency

The existing 8-inch gravity sewer on Diaz Road in Temecula was constructed in 1969 to convey sewer flow from the adjacent industrial park to the Diaz Lift Station. Additional business park developments led to the 1982 construction of a parallel 15-inch gravity sewer to Rancho Way approximately 1,200 feet away from the Diaz Lift Station.

Eas tern’s Sewer Collection System Master Plan calls for approximately 1,200 feet of gravity sewer within Diaz Road from north of Rancho Way to the Diaz Lift Station to be increased in diameter from eight inches to 15 inches. Extending the final segment of the sewer from Rancho Way to the Diaz Lift Station will accommodate buildout flows in the area.

A February 2021 EMWD board action awarded HDR Engineering, which is based in San Diego, the preliminary design contract to increase capacity of the Diaz Sewer. The preliminary design phase was completed in October 2021, and in December 2021, the EMWD board approved a final design contract with HDR. An amendment to the final design contract was approved by the board in August 2022 to provide additional field investigation and engineering design services, including the integration of the Diaz Lift Station force main valve replacement design.

EMWD staff advertised the construction contract for bid May

1. The deadline to receive bids was June 7, and three companies responded. One of those companies withdrew their bid due to a clerical error and another company’s bid was deemed non-responsive because a bid bond was not included.

James W. Fowler Company, which is headquartered in the Oregon town of Dallas, thus had the only responsive bid. James W. Fowler Company has previously performed satisfactory work on EMWD contracts. The James W. Fowler Company bid of $4,914,000 was 43% lower than the engineer ’s estimate of $8,681,364, so EMWD staff reviewed the contractor’s bid and the engineer’s estimate to determine the cause of such a significant difference. During the bid period the design team worked to clarify the dewatering system requirements based on questions received from the bidders, and that work along with input from Environmental and Regulatory Compliance staff determined that the dewatering process could be simplified by eliminating treatment and discharging directly to t he local sewer, which created significant savings. The shoring system and bypass pumping costs had been overestimated. long for the community to help.”

The construction contract calls for completion within 365 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed is issued.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

She said all the money they raise from the fundraiser events is given back to the community, wherever there is a need. She added the Storm baseball team gets involved with helping the homeless and the military through Thunder Cares. The Storm team identified MilVet as a local group they wanted to help with Perrot saying, “[MilVet] goes above and beyond as a nonprofit.” The team collected many of the needed items for the boxes and donated $2,500 to MilVet to help pay for the shipping and costs of the boxes.

Raven Hilden, CEO of MilVet, and contributing author of the bestseller, “A Veteran’s Story, Courage and Honor,” said the nonprofit, headquartered in Murrieta, collects many items from local businesses and residents that servicemen may not have if they are stationed overseas. In addition, every care box sent to a serviceman contains not only very welcomed treats, magazines, books and toilet items, but also letters from the people who packed the boxes giving them praise for their service.

“The Storm partnered up with MilVet to host our July Care packing event. We are packing with the players today. We have Thunder out here… and lots of raffles, food and fun.” She credited the Hemet Elks Lodge as being a major part of the month’s care packing event, making an announcement and donating for shipping costs and supplies. Shipping for the boxes, the most costly detail, is made through donations from other nonprofits, businesses and caring residents.

The Storm offered the stadium as a place to do the packing. Food and soft drinks along with an opportunity to attend an upcoming Storm game for free were also donated.

MilVet, headquartered at 33040

Antelope Road in Murrieta welcomes donations of the most needed items by the deployed servicemen and women by pur-

Raven Hilden, CEO of MilVet, with a troop care package to be sent to a soldier deployed overseas sits in the middle with more than 150 volunteers with Storm Baseball team members who put together other care packages at the Storm Baseball Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Valley News/Tony Ault photos chasing items remotely and having them delivered to MilVet at designated drop-off location for packing. For drop-off locations and packaging locations or to volunteer in packing the boxes, visit http://www.milvet.org/militarycare-packages.

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia com.