DATE: 05/06/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
2026-161
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
SUBJECT:
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH PACIFIC HYDROTECH CORPORATION FOR
THE RECONDITIONING OF THE SEWER DRYING BEDS AT WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report requests that City Council award Notice Inviting Bids 26-019AT to Pacific Hydrotech Corporation for the Reconditioning of Sewer Drying Beds at Water Reclamation Facility 1 Project which involves redevelopment of the existing sludge drying beds to efficiently separate solid from liquid waste collected from the City’s Sewer System.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Adopt the Plans and Specifications for the Reconditioning of Sewer Drying Beds at Water Reclamation Facility 1 Project, Notice Inviting Bids 26-019AT. b. Award Notice Inviting Bids 26-019AT to Pacific Hydrotech Corporation, the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, for the total bid amount of $548,100 and waive any and all minor irregularities in the bidding documents as submitted by said bidder. c. Approve the Construction Contract with Pacific Hydrotech Corporation for the Reconditioning of Sewer Drying Beds at Water Reclamation Facility 1 Project in the amount of $548,100.
d. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Construction Contract with Pacific Hydrotech Corporation in the amount of $548,100 including any nonsubstantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to 10% of total contact amount or $54,810 as authorized in Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.050(H).
e. Authorize an appropriation of $569,279 from the Sewer Utility Fund 572 to the Reconditioning of Sewer Drying Beds at Water Reclamation Facility 1 Operating and Maintenance Project No. 77920.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct that the City Council take the above actions.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona’s Water Reclamation Facility 1 (WRF 1) has served as a cornerstone of the City’s wastewater treatment and biosolids management since its establishment.
Over the decades, WRF 1 has evolved to meet the growing needs of the community and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, with a focus on maintaining public health, environmental protection, and operational efficiency. The drying beds, originally constructed in the 1960s, serve as a vactor truck decanting station to safely unload sewer system debris and sludge collected by the City’s vactor/vacuum trucks. The drying beds separate liquids from solid waste. While the liquid drains into the water reclamation system, the solids dry and are collected by the City’s waste pickup contractor and safely disposed. This designated area serves as a safe disposal site to support the City’s biosolids management strategy and ensure compliance with applicable standards. The drying beds have experienced significant wear and deterioration over time.
Comprehensive reconditioning is required to ensure efficient separation of solids from liquid waste. This project will convert the existing facilities into a modern multi-bay Sewer Vactor Truck Dump Station to support long-term operational needs of the utility.
ANALYSIS:
On February 5, 2026, Notice Inviting Bids (NIB) 26-019AT was solicited following the City of Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.090 Public projects – formal bidding procedure and the City’s purchasing policy through the City’s PlanetBids bidding portal.
Initially, project bidding was limited to the City’s pre-qualified contractors, Pipeline category only; with 17 pre-qualified contractors to perform pipeline projects. On February 12, 2026, the City issued Addendum No. 1 to open bidding to another 16 prequalified contactors from the water reclamation, sewage pump station & sewer system mechanical category. On February 18, 2026, eight contractors attended a mandatory job walk held at the project site, two of which were not on the list of pre-qualified contractors for both categories. These two prospective bidders responded to RFQ 21-078CA, Request for Prequalification of Contractors for Water, Sewer, & Water Reclamation Projects. The prequalification process requires the prospective bidders to submit a packet of documents including a comprehensive list of other similar projects completed by the contractor. The prequalification packet was reviewed for approval by the City’s Public Works Department.
In this case, two of the bidders that participated in the job walk submitted prequalification packets, but one was incomplete and the other did not submit a bid on the project by the due date. Four bids were received through the PlanetBids bidding service by the due date of March 11, 2026, from the following contractors:
Vendor City Bid
Amount
RE Chaffee Construction Wrightwood $486,500
Pacific Hydrotech Corporation Perris $548,100
Augustine General Engineering,
Inc.
Alta Loma $688,000
SCW Contracting Corp Fallbrook $877,459
The initial low bidder has been disqualified because they are not on the Utilities Department list of pre-qualified contractors. As a result, Pacific Hydrotech Corporation has been designated the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. Pacific Hydrotech’s bid schedule is provided below.
Scope of Work Cost
MOBILIZATION AND DEMOBILIZATION $73,900
CONSTRUCTION SURVEY STAKING AND VERIFICATION OF
UTILITY LOCATIONS AND FIELD DIMENSION $3,700
PROJECT RECORD DOCUMENTS $1,500
SITE DEMOLITION $52,200
REINFORCED CONCRETE SLAB ON GRADE $273,600
REINFORCED CONCRETE FOOTINGS, PADS, WALLS, AND
INCIDENTAL STRUCTURES $105,100
PVC GRAVITY SEWER PIPE $38,100
Project Total Cost $548,100
City staff will provide project management to uphold the contract documents while interacting with the contractors to lead progress meetings, prepare and maintain project reports, oversee the schedule and budget, verify proper procedures, and ensure turnaround times for document review and approval are followed. To ensure compliance with the plans and specifications, a City inspector will be on-site on an as-needed basis.
GHD, the design engineering firm for this project, will provide engineering support.
Materials testing will be provided through an existing on-call agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount of $569,279 from the Sewer Utility Fund 572 to the Reconditioning of Sewer Drying Beds at WRF 1 Operating and Maintenance Project No. 77920. There is sufficient working capital for the recommended actions.
The breakdown of the request is as follows:
Construction Administration (Inspection, Project
Management, Engineering Support, and Materials
Testing)
$80,000
Pacific Hydrotech Corporation Construction
Contract
$548,100
10% Change Order Authority $54,810
Total Project Cost $682,910
Current Project Balance $113,631
Appropriation Needed $569,279
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that “operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the CEQA determination” and is therefore exempt from CEQA. This action involves repair and minor alterations to an existing facility. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: CARLOS DE LEON, PROJECT COORDINATOR
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, UTILITIES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Plans and Specifications
2. Exhibit 2 – Construction Contract