Boynton Beach taps Jacobs for design of new 24 MGD nanofiltration facility

Boynton Beach taps Jacobs for design of new 24 MGD nanofiltration facilityDriven by impending EPA regulations for PFAS and the need to tap the Floridan aquifer, the Florida city is advancing a water treatment overhaul with an estimated total program cost of $250 million.

The City Commission approved a $4.6 million Task Order with Jacobs Engineering Group for the preliminary design of the West Water Treatment Plant.

The selected treatment plan features a new 24 MGD nanofiltration facility at the West plant and a future 6 MGD reverse osmosis facility at the East plant.

Upgrades are required to meet the April 2029 EPA compliance deadline for PFAS removal and replace aging infrastructure that would cost $111 million just to maintain.

The city also awarded a $2 million design contract to Keith and Associates for a $14.3 million grant-funded stormwater flood risk reduction project.

The City of Boynton Beach, Florida, is advancing a generational overhaul of its water supply infrastructure to address aging assets, capacity constraints, and looming federal regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). During an April 7 meeting, the City Commission approved a $4,601,651 Task Order with Jacobs Engineering Group for the preliminary design of the West Water Treatment Plant (WTP). The contract utilizes remaining funds from a $5.4 million Florida Department of Environmental Protection State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan, which includes principal forgiveness. The design award follows a previously completed treatment options evaluation by Jacobs, which assessed the city's 65-year-old East WTP and 35-year-old West WTP. A representative from Jacobs noted during the meeting that maintaining the status quo at both facilities would require an investment of $111 million, without addressing new water quality or supply challenges. To meet future demands and regulatory requirements, the city has selected a comprehensive treatment alternative. The plan calls for shifting more capacity to the West WTP by constructing a new 24 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) nanofiltration facility, while the East WTP will see a new 6 MGD reverse osmosis facility. The upgrades are driven by two primary factors. First, the city's allocation from the surficial aquifer is reaching its limit, necessitating a shift to the deeper, brackish Floridan aquifer as an alternative water supply. Second, the surficial aquifer currently contains PFAS, requiring the city to implement advanced treatment to meet the EPA's April 2029 compliance deadline. The project will also include the design of a deep injection well for membrane concentrate disposal. While the current preliminary design phase is covered by the SRF loan, city officials noted during the meeting that the total program cost is estimated at approximately $250 million. The city plans to pursue utility revenue bonds to fund the upcoming construction phases, potentially breaking the borrowing into multiple tranches. Separately, the City Commission also advanced a major stormwater initiative, awarding a $2,074,704 contract to Keith and Associates for the Phase I design of the "Heart of Boynton" Flood Risk Reduction Project. The project, supported by a $12 million FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant, will install exfiltration trenches and enhanced conveyance infrastructure to mitigate chronic flooding in a historically underserved neighborhood.