CDM Constructors to build Californian desalination facility

California American Water has selected CDM Constructors to design and build the desalination facility proposed as part of its $320m Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project.

CDM Constructors was selected following a nine month procurement process that examined four finalists on the basis of financial and technical aspects, and CDM’s proposal of $86m came in as the lowest of the four, with other proposals ranging from $90-110m.

California American Water’s vice president of engineering Rich Svindland said all four firms had some great technical concepts and innovations, but CDM Constructors’ proposal scored highest overall in our team’s ranking criteria.

CDM Smith chairman and CEO Stephen Hickox said: "We’re looking forward to being part of the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project team. The project provides a forward-thinking and environmentally sensitive approach to solving a very serious water supply shortage. We understand the time constraints and have the capability to deliver the desalination project the Monterey Peninsula community needs."

California American Water identified its preferred firm after short-listing responses to its request for qualifications, issuing a request for proposals to those firms and conducting formal interviews.

The company will now send 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, 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 California American Water.

The committee was formed in early 2013 to provide an additional layer of public oversight and shares decision making authority with California American Water on several key aspects of the project.

The California Public Utilities Commission is currently reviewing the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project application and is scheduled to make a ruling on the application by August 2014.