City of Lomita Receives Six Bids for Granular Activated Carbon Filtration Project

The City of Lomita has received six bids for its project to upgrade the Cypress Water Production Facility with a new Granular Activated Carbon filtration system – moving the City one step closer to implementing the solution that will not only remove benzene but also improve the water’s taste and smell. 

“It’s exciting to see the bids that came in from contractors with the ability to turn our vision for a new filtration system into a reality,” said Lomita City Manager Ryan Smoot. “This project came about thanks to input from community members who shared concerns about their drinking water, and our bid specifications were designed purposely to make sure resident concerns are addressed moving forward.” 

The City published a Request for Bids for the project on November 3, 2020, and the request was published in the Daily Breeze on November 6 and November 14, 2020. The City extended the initial deadline of December 7, 2020, to December 17, 2020 to accommodate as many interested parties as possible.

Bill Drawing for GAC Construction

Bid Drawing for Construction, courtesy of Hazen and Sawyer

 

The filtration project will involve GAC vessels being constructed at the Cypress Water Production Facility (such as those shown in the above bid drawing for construction). The Granular Activated Carbon will filter out certain natural organic materials that contribute to the earthy odor that some residents may have noticed in the past. The upgrade is expected to improve the aesthetic qualities of groundwater produced and also remove the benzene that forced the City to shut down the facility in 2019. Since the benzene detection in 2019, the City’s only groundwater well has been offline and the City has continued to provide water through its imported water connections.

“The GAC project will allow the City to return to normal operations and bring the Cypress Water Production Facility back online,” City Manager Smoot said. “With this new filtration system, we’ll not only address concerns about earthy odors, but we’ll also be able to protect our long-term ability to provide safe, clean water to our residents, even in times of severe drought.”

The City has secured approval from the State Department of Drinking Water for the upgrade, and the Water Replenishment District (WRD) also approved the project under the Safe Drinking Water Program (SDWP). WRD has authorized the use of up to $2,000,000 in SDWP grant funds for the treatment project

Now that the City has received the GAC project bids, City staff will be reviewing and vetting the bids over the coming weeks. City staff anticipate presenting the Lomita City Council with the opportunity to vote on the selection of a contractor in early 2021.  

For additional information about the GAC project, please visit the Granular Activated Carbon Filtration System webpage.

The City is committed to sharing information and helping community members understand where their water comes from. Residents are encouraged to visit www.LomitaWater.com to find all the latest water-related information and sign up for Lomita Water News Alerts.

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