Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: August 20, 2024
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: N/A
FROM: Ed Torres, M.S., P.E., LEED AP, Director, Utilities
CONTACT: Mark Ikeler, P.E., Manager, Utilities
PHONE: 407-254-9705
DIVISION: Water Reclamation Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval of funding for the Orange County/City of Orlando Water Conserv II Joint Facilities Annual Target Budget with Woodard & Curran, Inc. The County’s share of the estimated project budget is $6,354,527. All Districts. (Water Reclamation Division)
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PROJECT: N/A
PURPOSE: The Water Conserv II project, which is jointly owned by the City of Orlando and Orange County, provides over 30 million gallons of reclaimed water daily for citrus irrigation, rapid infiltration basins (RIBs), nurseries/tree farms, golf courses and residential irrigation within the Horizon West development. The operating budget for the facility is negotiated annually and must be approved each year by the Board and the Orlando City Council.
Water Conserv II Joint Facilities Annual Target Budget
The Water Conserv II operations annual target budget includes the cost of labor, equipment, chemicals, repairs, professional services, and general maintenance necessary to operate and maintain the jointly owned facility. The County’s and the City’s shares of the operation and maintenance cost are based on metered flow from the County’s South Water Reclamation Facility (approximately 65%) and the City’s McLeod Road Water Reclamation Facility (approximately 35%). The cost for all capital improvements is shared equally. The total project budget for 2025 is $11,436,178. The City’s share of the estimated 2025 project budget is $5,081,651. The County’s share is $6,354,527. Sufficient funds are available in account numbers 4420-038-1352-3135, 4420-038-1352-3820, 4420-038-1352-6310, and 4420-038-1445-6350.
The proposed Water Conserv II 2025 budget of $11,436,178 is a 28.8% increase from the 2024 budget of $8,877,735. The 2025 operations and maintenance budget increased 5.6% from the previous year with $4,242,923 proposed for 2025 and $4,016,085 approved for 2024. The capital and renewal portion of the proposed 2025 budget represents an increase of 50.6% from the previous year with $6,943,255 proposed for 2025 and $4,611,650 approved in 2024. The 50.6% increase in the capital and renewal portion of the budget is attributed to a significant Capital Improvement Project anticipated to be bid in 2025. This increase is further driven by the elevated costs within the local construction market, leading to higher estimated construction costs.
Utilities Department staff has reviewed the budget and recommends approval.
BUDGET: N/A