Newark approves water disinfection contract and utility-backed winter maintenance procurement

Newark approves water disinfection contract and utility-backed winter maintenance procurementThe City Council has authorized a new contract for sodium hypochlorite water treatment while allocating utility funds to support citywide snow and ice control operations.

JCI Jones Chemicals Inc. awarded a $460,000 contract for liquid sodium hypochlorite.

The Department of Water and Sewer Utilities will co-fund over $3.6 million in salt and conveyor contracts.

Council corrected a $2.5 million award for salt storage building installation during the session.

The Newark Municipal Council has authorized a contract not to exceed $460,000 for the supply of liquid sodium hypochlorite, a key disinfectant for the city's water treatment processes. The contract was awarded to JCI Jones Chemicals Inc. following a public bidding process that saw twenty-one downloads but only two submitted bids. The agreement is established for a period not to exceed twenty-four consecutive months. This procurement is moderately sized relative to the wider municipal market, where JCI Jones Chemicals Inc. holds active supply agreements ranging from smaller six-figure contracts, such as with New Jersey’s Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority, to multi-million dollar commitments in larger jurisdictions like Portland, Oregon. In addition to the treatment chemicals, the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities is providing funding for winter maintenance equipment and supplies in conjunction with the Department of Public Works. The Council approved a state contract purchase not to exceed $2.636 million for rock salt, treated salt, and solar salt from Morton Salt Inc. and East Coast Salt Distribution Inc. A separate $1 million contract was authorized for portable salt conveyors from Kimco USA Inc. Both contracts explicitly list the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities as a funding source alongside the Division of Sanitation. During the meeting, Councilman Carlos M. Gonzalez identified a scrivener's error regarding an added resolution for the installation of pre-engineered buildings to house salt and maintenance vehicles. The Council corrected the award amount to approximately $2.5 million by removing an erroneous eighty-eight cents before adopting the measure.