Agenda Item Wording:
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Approve a Change Order for a Blower Rental - Approve change order no. 3 with Aerzen Rental Solutions in the amount of $153,744.65 for five additional 28-day rental periods of an Aerzen blower and authorize the budget transfer of $153,744.65 from within the Wastewater Fund.
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Agenda Date: 06/15/2026
Prepared by:
Ben Litwack, Public Works Manager, ben.litwack@visalia.gov, 559-713-4671
Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director, nick.bartsch@visalia.gov, 559-713-4052
Department Recommendation: Staff recommends that Council approve Change Order No. 3 to Purchase Order P04375 with Aerzen Rental Solutions in the amount of $153,744.65 for five additional 28-day rental periods and authorize the related budget transfer within the Wastewater Fund.
Summary:
Staff is requesting approval of Change Order No. 3 to continue renting an Aerzen blower used to maintain adequate aeration capacity at the Visalia Water Reclamation Facility while permanent blower repairs are completed. The Change Order Committee approved the request on June 3, 2026, and the item is now being brought to City Council for approval at the June 15, 2026 meeting. The change order covers five 28-day rental periods, which will provide rental coverage through the end of July 2026, and Aerzen Rental Solutions will prorate the final invoice or issue a refund if the rental unit is returned earlier than anticipated.
Background Discussion:
Project EQ0280 authorized the rental of an Aerzen blower from Aerzen Rental Solutions (A separate entity from Aerzen USA) to maintain adequate aeration capacity at the Visalia Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) while multiple permanent blowers were out of service due to variable frequency drive (VFD) failures. The rental unit has been critical to sustaining dissolved oxygen levels necessary to meet the WRF's nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) permit requirements.
Following Change Order Nos. 1 and 2, staff anticipated that the repaired inverter would allow the affected permanent blower to return to service. However, the repaired inverter failed five days after installation, requiring continued use of the rental blower.
Aerzen has proposed installation of a new style of inverter to replace the failed repaired unit. Because the new inverter must be converted to fit the City's older blower units, additional time is needed for delivery, conversion, installation, and testing. The new inverter is expected to arrive in late June, and installation is expected to be complete by early July.
Continued operation of the rental unit is necessary to maintain regulatory compliance and avoid operational risks associated with insufficient aeration capacity while the permanent blower remains offline. Staff intends to retain the rental unit for approximately one week after the new inverter is installed so the permanent blower can be tested and verified for reliable operation before the rental unit is returned.
The Aerzen blowers have required significant maintenance and replacement parts over the past several years. Due to recurring reliability concerns, staff intends to seek replacement of the Aerzen blower units with APG Neuros units in the future. The WRF currently uses Neuros blowers for agitation air in the membrane bioreactor, and those units have had relatively few issues.
Fiscal Impact including annual maintenance and operating costs: An error on the original Change Order Committee form indicated that $153,744.65 would cover an additional 4 months of rent. Change Order No. 3 will authorize five additional 28-day rental periods in the amount of $153,744.65. To cover the cost of Change Order No. 3, staff is requesting that $153,744.65 be transferred from within the Wastewater Fund (431) Capital Budget from CP9768 to EQ0280.
The original purchase order was issued on September 23, 2025 in the amount of $82,530. Council approved Change Order No. 1 on December 15, 2025 in the amount of $56,680 for two additional months of rental. Change Order No. 2 was approved in the amount of $61,497.86 for two additional months of rental, and staff requested a transfer of $72,055.71 from CP9768 to EQ0280 to cover Change Order No. 2 and accrued sales tax added for the original purchase order and Change Order No. 1. It is anticipated that the total purchase order will not exceed $365,010.16 following approval of Change Order No. 3.
There are no additional annual maintenance or operating costs associated with this action. While the rental is billed in advance, Aerzen Rental Solutions will prorate charges if the unit is returned early, resulting in a refund or reduced final billing to offset the cost of any advance payments.
Prior Council Action:
December 15, 2025: Approved Change Order 1 to P04375
Alternatives: N/A
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to approve Change Order No. 3 to Purchase Order P04375 with Aerzen Rental Solutions in the amount of $153,744.65 for five additional 28-day rental periods and authorize the related budget transfer within the Wastewater Fund.
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Deadline for Action: 06/15/2026
Attachments:
Approved CO#3 - P04375
P04375
Rental Quote
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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