Design-Build-Operate at Camp Creek

Western Summit, Parsons and American Water Combine for Georgia's First D-B-O Contract

By Scott Judy

To expand its Camp Creek Water Reclamation Facility, the Fulton County, Ga., Department of Public Works hired three national firms with extensive expertise in the field of water supply projects to design, build and operate this revitalized plant.

The $132 million design-build-operate contract - the first of its type in Georgia, and, at the time, Fulton County's largest-ever contract - expanded the existing plant's capacity from 13 million gallons per day to 24 million and provided for 15 years of contracted operation.

To date, that leap into the D-B-O procurement method is paying off, as Western Summit Constructors of Denver; Pasadena, Calif.-based Parsons; and American Water of Marlton, N.J., are set to complete the facility on time in January and on budget.

"That shows this D-B-O process works, and works well," said Tim Equels, assistant director for the Fulton County Department of Public Works.

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Mike Powers, Southeast division manager for Western Summit, said proving the merits of D-B-O was an important aspect of the project.

"We've proven that this type of procurement process does work, and we've proven it with a major municipality here in the Southeast," he said. "Hopefully that will help other municipalities fall in line."

The Project

Fulton County selected the design-build-operate team of American Water/Western Summit/Parsons in November 2001 and came to terms on an operational contract with American Water in March 2002. The company took over operations of the plant the next month, and the county issued the design-build Notice to Proceed on June 24.

The design-build portion of the contract equals roughly $85.3 million, with approximately $3.9 million of that a result of an emergency project change order to add two "package plants" on a temporary basis. The remaining $47 million covers American Water's agreement to operate and maintain the facility for 15 years.

The project included re-rating the existing facility to an 8 MGD capacity at enhanced effluent standards and then adding a new 16 MGD plant. This construction plan simplified construction sequencing to provide continuous facility operation.

"Essentially you can either increase the tankage and (other equipment) in there, or you can decrease the flow and treat less and get better performance," said Dan Eckdahl, site manager for Western Summit. "We opted to do treat less through that existing plant and add a 16 MGD treatment process."

Additionally, the project included construction of a new headworks facility, three new primary clarifiers, three new secondary clarifiers, three biological reactors, an ultraviolet disinfection system, a new filtration system, 4,000 ft. of 60-in. outfall pipeline and biosolids handling facilities. Modifications to existing influent sewers and force mains, primary clarifiers, secondary clarifiers and conversion of existing aeration basins also were included.

Other notable project quantities included 347,000 cu. yds. of site/structure excavation, 347,000 cu. yds. of site/structure fill; 29,000 cu. yds of structural concrete; 6,800 lin. ft. of 15- to 72-in. reinforced concrete pipe; 21,000 lin. ft. of 4- to 54-in. ductile iron pipe; 4,600 lin. ft. of small-diameter PVC piping; and 8,600 lin. ft. of small-diameter double-containment PVC chemical piping. Western Summit's electrical contractor, Excel Electrical Technologies, will have installed 31 mi. of conduit and 152 mi. of conductor wire.

Western Summit self-performed approximately 70 percent of the total contract, but it subcontracted a $5.3 million turnkey contract to minority firm Thacker Southern to build an onsite operations/maintenance facility.

Equels, the Fulton County official, said the Camp Creek project was all about risk management.

"It goes to prove why this design-build-operate (method) was successful," he said. "It transferred a lot of risk over to the contractor team.

"The risk was on them, rather than the county, so we didn't have to worry about all of the little details. And they didn't address (project problems) with us because they were guaranteeing the project."

Timing

Though the plant was being pushed to capacity due to area growth, the project had been languishing within the public works department for several years, Equels said.
"So this (the D-B-O) was a good opportunity to get the project started and to fast-track the acquisition," he added.

The project had been scheduled to commence in 2001, but the county awarded the contract about a year later than expected, and Western Summit/Parsons received its Notice to Proceed in June 2002, exactly 12 months later than planned. To expedite the project as much as possible, Western Summit opted to jump the gun a bit.

"We kind of went out on a limb," Eckdahl said. "In January 2002, we were certain enough that we were getting the job that we pushed Parsons to start designing. So when June 24 came, the day we got our notice to proceed, we had phase one 100 percent designed, and we were able to break ground with that construction immediately."

An initial milestone to have the tertiary treatment and UV disinfection portion of the new plant operational by early 2003 forced a change from the contractor's original plans. The milestone was mandated by changing requirements of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

"We really didn't have a phased approach at proposal time because we thought we could design everything in six months and then start construction," Eckdahl said. "From June 2001 we would have had six months to design and between six and nine months to construct the first phase."

By starting design early, the design-build team was able to complete phase one within nine months of its contract start date.

Design on phase two - the new plant - was completed in February 2003, and the team received Notice to Proceed in March.

Project Curves

At about the same time, the Southeast was experiencing historic rainfall amounts, and Fulton County was experiencing a nearly record homebuilding pace. For those reasons, the 13 MGD plant was experiencing overcapacity water flow and was about to violate its permit. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division demanded the situation be corrected "in short order," Eckdahl said.

After brainstorming various options, the DBO team and Fulton County agreed to relocate and temporarily use two existing "package plants" - previously out of commission for about 10 years - from another county plant. Because the proposed location of the package plants at Camp Creek was on top of an abandoned sludge lagoon - which was to be cleaned out and capped off with dirt by a third-party contractor - this delayed work from starting by about four months.

The change order had called for an April 2003 start for this work, and a December completion date. And though the contractor wasn't able to start until late August, it still made the Dec. 15, date.

That was important because with the addition of the package plants, the design-builders were able to get the plant rated to 19 MGD, and get the county back within the terms of its permit.

Notably, the heavy rain - and its minimal impact on the contractor, and the county - was another item Equels cited as indicative of the benefits of D-B-O.

"When you consider all of the obstacles they've had to go through, such as the worst rainfall in state recorded history, and all of the things that could have been claims for delay and change orders - none of that ever occurred," Equels said.

Indeed, to date, the contractor had experienced approximately 30 days of rain beyond what it had anticipated going into the project, with no adverse impact, and was on schedule.

"We're getting an excellent product at a great price, with a good guarantee," Equels said. "So we're happy."

USEFUL SOURCES:
http://www.westernsummit.com/portfolio/featured/campcreek.php

PROJECT TEAM:

Owner: Fulton County Department of Public Works
Contractor: Western Summit Constructors, Denver
Engineer: Parsons, Pasadena, Calif.
Operator: American Water, Marlton, N.J.