DeKalb approves major sewer-rehab and engineering contracts tied to consent-decree work
December 01, 2025 | DeKalb County, Georgia
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The DeKalb County Public Works & Infrastructure committee on Tuesday approved a string of contracts and change orders intended to accelerate sewer rehabilitation connected to the county’s federal consent decree.
Director of Watershed Management Ted Wells told the committee the package reflects both commodity needs and large rehabilitation work. The committee approved a $21,543,303.91 change order for SAK Construction LLC to expand trenchless rehabilitation and external point repairs and a $16,005,309.86 increase for Instuform Technologies LLC (Insituform) to install large-diameter cured-in-place lining for sanitary sewer pipes ranging from about 30 to 48 inches in diameter. Wells said those vendors were selected through cooperative purchasing arrangements because they are industry leaders for the scale and diameter of work required.
Wells also explained a recommended award of on-call engineering services to eight firms — Tetra Tech, Brown & Caldwell, CDM Smith, Stantec, Arcadis, Hazen & Sawyer, Carollo and Gresham Smith — to create a $64 million pool to provide design and construction support as the county ramps up capital investment. "We're budgeting about $2 million a year per vendor," Wells said, adding the pool is intended to increase capacity for an anticipated multi‑billion dollar capital program.
The director framed the contracts as essential to meeting consent‑decree deadlines: "We're trying to ensure that we meet some impending deadlines," Wells said. Commissioners pressed staff on scope and diameter differences; Wells clarified SAK would address smaller‑diameter work while Insituform would focus on large‑diameter lining.
All items were moved and approved by the committee. The chair noted some procurement items will return for audit or reprocurement as required.
The next procedural step is implementation under the awarded contracts; directors said they will continue reporting schedule and funding details as work proceeds.
Director of Watershed Management Ted Wells told the committee the package reflects both commodity needs and large rehabilitation work. The committee approved a $21,543,303.91 change order for SAK Construction LLC to expand trenchless rehabilitation and external point repairs and a $16,005,309.86 increase for Instuform Technologies LLC (Insituform) to install large-diameter cured-in-place lining for sanitary sewer pipes ranging from about 30 to 48 inches in diameter. Wells said those vendors were selected through cooperative purchasing arrangements because they are industry leaders for the scale and diameter of work required.
Wells also explained a recommended award of on-call engineering services to eight firms — Tetra Tech, Brown & Caldwell, CDM Smith, Stantec, Arcadis, Hazen & Sawyer, Carollo and Gresham Smith — to create a $64 million pool to provide design and construction support as the county ramps up capital investment. "We're budgeting about $2 million a year per vendor," Wells said, adding the pool is intended to increase capacity for an anticipated multi‑billion dollar capital program.
The director framed the contracts as essential to meeting consent‑decree deadlines: "We're trying to ensure that we meet some impending deadlines," Wells said. Commissioners pressed staff on scope and diameter differences; Wells clarified SAK would address smaller‑diameter work while Insituform would focus on large‑diameter lining.
All items were moved and approved by the committee. The chair noted some procurement items will return for audit or reprocurement as required.
The next procedural step is implementation under the awarded contracts; directors said they will continue reporting schedule and funding details as work proceeds.
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