CDM to build US$ 86 million Monterey desalination plant

California American Water (Cal Am) has selected CDM Constructors Inc to design and build the desalination facility proposed as part of its US$ 320 million Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project.

CDM Constructors, a subsidiary of CDM Smith, submitted a proposal of US$ 86 million for the desalination facility portion of the project, which is consistent with earlier estimates from a consulting engineering firm. CDM Constructors’ bid was the lowest of the four proposers, with other proposals in the range US$ 90-110 million.

“All four firms had some great technical concepts and innovations, but CDM Constructors’ proposal scored highest overall in our team’s ranking criteria,” said Cal Am’s vice president of engineering, Rich Svindland.

CDM projects involving advanced membrane treatment in California include two Monterey Peninsula projects – the Sand City desalination facility, which produces potable water from brackish groundwater, and the Pebble Beach Company’s reclamation project, which irrigates golf courses with highly-treated recycled water.

“The project provides a forward-thinking and environmentally sensitive approach to solving a very serious water supply shortage,” said Stephen Hickox, CDM Smith chairman and CEO. “We understand the time constraints and have the capability to deliver the desalination project the Monterey Peninsula community needs.”

Cal Am will now send the statements of qualifications, proposals and reports regarding its findings along with a draft contract to the project’s Governance Committee, which will have ten days to conduct its own review and make further recommendations. The committee is set to discuss the matter in public during a special meeting set for 11 December 2013 at the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District office.

The Governance Committee is made up of representatives from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District and Cal Am.

The California Public Utilities Commission is currently reviewing Cal Am’s application for the project and is scheduled to make a ruling on the application by August 2014.