The Norwalk Water Pollution Control Authority on Nov. 17 authorized the chairman or vice chairman to execute a fourth amendment to the 1/27/2016 agreement with Arcadis USA Incorporated to extend the contract term by five years with an optional five-year renewal and to add on-call professional engineering services not to exceed $8,000,000. The board also approved authorizing the chairman or vice chairman to retain legal counsel identified in the meeting materials as "Bridal Dana" for up to $250,000. Both actions were approved by voice vote without recorded opposition.

WPCA staff told the board that Arcadis has provided on-call engineering services tied to the city's DEEP consent order and long-term projects, including work on the facility plan and the final settling tank. "Arcadis has been providing on call professional engineering services to the WPCA related to the wastewater treatment plant," a staff presenter said, adding that the third contract amendment currently in effect expires Jan. 26, 2026. Staff said the proposed fourth amendment is structured to align with the DEEP consent order and to allow continuity on long-term deliverables; specific post-DEEP-approved scopes will be returned to the board for approval.

Staff described remaining obligations on the current contract (approximately $3,000,000 in open purchase orders tied to design and construction administration for the settling tank) and said the new $8,000,000 request is intended to cover anticipated on-call needs beyond those existing amounts. A board member asked about prior amendment totals; staff said the third amendment was about $3,000,000.

On the legal-retention item, staff said the firm identified in the packet has long provided regulatory and permitting services to the WPCA and the city and recently requested a rate increase; staff noted the firm offered a 20% discount on rates for WPCA matters. "They have been providing legal services to the WPCA for many years now, through various regulatory and permitting challenges along with the consent order," the presenter said. The motion to retain the firm for up to $250,000 was moved (recorded in the transcript as moved by "Smith") and approved unanimously.

The board recorded the Arcadis amendment vote as "passes unanimously" after a roll-call style vocal affirmation; a participant who joined late (Heather Dunn) was recorded as voting yes. Staff emphasized that once DEEP provides approval on pending items the WPCA will return with a focused scope of work for board review.

What happens next: Staff will continue to coordinate with DEEP on the consent-order deliverables and will come back to the board with scope and budget details for individual projects once DEEP direction is clear. The legal-retention authorization authorizes the chair or vice chair to execute the engagement up to the approved amount.