Contract to build 3 million gallon water tanks at new Ocala plant up for vote

A contract to build two, 3-million gallon ground storage tanks at the city’s second water plant will come up for a vote during the Ocala City Council’s next meeting, with the facility expected to be fully operational by 2030.

A construction contract with Precon Corporation, a Newberry-based company, will be reviewed on Tuesday, May 6, during the council’s regular meeting at Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue).

According to city staff, the new tanks will be located at the future Water Treatment Plant No. 2, which is located at 3744 South Pine Avenue.

In March, the city issued an invitation to bid on the construction contract. On April 14, two bids were received: Precon Corporation submitted a bid of $4,959,872, and Crom, LLC, of Gainesville, submitted a bid of $6,330,000.

In addition to the bid, the contract would also call for a contingency of $495,987, bringing the total budget for the project just shy of $5.5 million.

The project is partially funded by two cost-share agreements, one between the city and the St. Johns River Water Management District ($2,205,700), and the other between the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection ($1,000,000). Both are part of the same project (Lower Floridian Aquifer Conversion), representing different phases. According to records, the city will fund $2,250,159 of the project.

According to a notice of intent to award, Precon would spend $600,000 on site work and $200,000 on mechanical site piping. The contract also allots $50,000 for general conditions and requirements. The finished tanks are estimated to cost around $2,309,872 and $1,800,000.

The city’s first water treatment plant has been in operation since 1972. On average, the plant produces approximately 12 million gallons per day. Licensed operators test the water every two hours and are present at the plant 24 hours a day.

The second water plant was approved in 2022 to offer relief to the Upper Floridian Aquifer and help in protecting Silver Springs.

Water Treatment Plant No. 2 will feature four wells that will be drilled to depths of over 1,300 feet in the Lower Floridian Aquifer. According to the city, the plant should be fully operational by 2030.

The Ocala City Council next meets on Tuesday, May 6, at 4 p.m., at Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue).