Johnson County awards $16.9m construction contract for New Century wastewater upgrades

Johnson County awards $16.9m construction contract for New Century wastewater upgradesThe Board of County Commissioners has approved construction funding and selected Crossland Heavy Contractors to build a new equalization basin to manage high-strength industrial loads.

The board authorized a total of $20.5 million in construction phase funding for the New Century Air Center Wastewater Treatment Facility improvements.

Crossland Heavy Contractors secured the construction contract with a low bid of $16.9 million, surpassing the engineer's probable cost estimate of $15.3 million.

The upgrades will stabilize flow and loading variabilities caused by high-strength industrial wastewater that periodically push the facility to its load limits.

Commissioners increased the wastewater General Manager's change order authority to $250,000 to mitigate project delays amid volatile infrastructure costs.

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners has advanced a major infrastructure project for the New Century Air Center Wastewater Treatment Facility, authorizing $20.5 million for the construction phase and awarding the primary construction contract. During its July 30, 2026 meeting, the board unanimously approved a $16.9 million contract with Crossland Heavy Contractors to construct a new equalization basin, pumping systems, and solids thickening improvements. Crossland was the lowest of five bidders, though the winning bid came in above the design engineer's probable cost estimate of $15.3 million. According to Wastewater General Manager Susan Pekarik, the facility was constructed in the early 1990s and serves an airport, residential areas, and several industrial users. "Sometimes the industrial high-strength loadings can cause the facility to operate at or near its load limit," Pekarik told the board. The corrosive environment generated by the industrial wastewater has necessitated the renewal of several assets, including the influent line. The new equalization basin is designed to de-peak higher loadings and stabilize flow variabilities, ensuring the plant can continue treating wastewater at its design capacity. Jacobs Engineering, which completed the project's design, will continue to provide engineering construction phase services. To prevent project delays in an environment of escalating construction costs, the board also approved a policy adjustment for this specific contract. The wastewater General Manager was granted delegated authority to approve individual change orders up to $250,000, and the combined change order threshold requiring board approval was increased from 10% to 15% of the base contract amount. Pekarik noted that subterranean utility work inherently carries risks of unforeseen conditions, and the increased threshold will allow the contractor to maintain momentum without pausing for board authorizations. In a separate wastewater action, the board approved the creation of a contract sewer district to serve a proposed 108-home development. The $1.9 million project will install approximately 2,900 feet of sewer line, with Wild Horse Investors, LLC prepaying $190,000—or 10% of the project costs—under a county financing option.