The Orange County Utilities’ (OCU) Southwest Service Area (SWSA) Potable Water Storage and Repump Facility project provides potable water storage and pumping facilities necessary to address periods of peak water volume usage, such as fire flow demand, in the SWSA. Phase one of construction included a 3.5 million gallon (MG) potable water ground storage tank (GST), and a 6,400 gallons per minute (gpm) high service capacity potable water re-pumping (pressure boosting) station. The second phase for the potable water facility included a second 3.5 MG GST and an increase in capacity of the high service pressure booster station to 12,800 gpm. The facility was built with variable speed pumps and controls housed in a building, instrumentation and controls including SCADA, disinfection system, emergency power generator and fuel storage tank, and miscellaneous appurtenances necessary for system operation. The project also included a 20-inch diameter potable water main that will enter the project site from the west and a 30-inch diameter potable water main that will handle discharge from the facility.
Overview
PMA Role
PMA led the project controls services and quality assurance tasks to support OCU’s engineering and construction department staff. PMA staff implemented the Oracle/Primavera Contract Management system for the administration of the project. During construction, PMA monitored and coordinated activities with the design team to meet project requirements. The contractor was required by the specifications to submit Critical Path Method (CPM) construction progress schedules on a monthly basis until contract completion. PMA reviewed the schedule submittals and utilized comparison software to enable efficient and complete reviews of the schedule. PMA staff performed walk-throughs at the site, coordinated monthly progress meetings, and reviewed monthly progress pay application as it related to the progress reported in the schedule update. In addition, PMA assisted the engineer and the county evaluate proposed adjustments, negotiate fair and reasonable adjustments to the contract and review their impact on the project. PMA also met with OCU to review monthly progress pay application as it related to the progress reported in the schedule update.