Saturday, July 12, 2025

Search

SWAINTON — Years of contract negotiations amicably concluded March 26 as the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority signed an agreement with Parkson Corporation for the replacement of failed processing units at the Ocean City Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.
In 2004, the authority upgraded six Rotating Biological Contactors (RBCs) at the plant with new Rotating Biological Reactor (RBR) technology, manufactured by Parkson to clean sewage, made from fiberglass because they are 30 to 40 percent more effective at removing pollution, Executive Director Charles Norkis said.
Structural failure forced six refurbished RBRs manufactured by Parkson to be decommissioned by March 2008 and replaced with hybrid fiberglass/stainless steel components.
However, because fiberglass is flexible and stainless steel is not, hybrid assemblies were also discovered to be defective.
A joint field investigation into observed structural problems revealed that three operating units had significant damage and were shut down in September 2008 “to prevent complete structural collapse,” the agreement states.
Authority board members deliberated in closed sessions for months over the failed units and the $1 million contract with Parkson.
Units are needed prior to Memorial Day because of seasonal flow increases.
Parkson committed to retrofitting, repair and replacement of the RBRs, with complete stainless steel units, at no additional cost to the CMCMUA.
New 25-foot long 12-foot diameter stainless steel units are worth more than the original contract, at about $1.4 million, Norkis said.
Norkis said Parkson already began delivery of new units last week, before the agreed upon April 30 deadline.
The authority will provide some resources and support labor. Norkis said it was preferred that MUA use its own expertise with the installation.
The second set of three RBR units must be replaced, at no additional cost to the authority, by the end of this year.
Parkson took the position that if replacement units should fail after installation, the corporation would have met its liability and would not need to further replace the replacements.
Parkson also offered alternate cash settlement to refund the original $1 million.
MUA Engineering Manager Thomas LaRocco, an expert in structural engineering, said carbon-coated steel RBR units should have a “high probability of success.”
If Parkson doesn’t meet either the April 30 or Dec. 31 deadline, it has a $1 million responsibility to the authority for expenses caused by the unavailability of RBRs for use and MUA’s need to maintain accordance with DEP permit requirements, in addition to regulatory agency fines for discharge permit limitations, the agreement states.
A one-year warranty remains in place that includes field service, minor on-site repairs, phone support and inspections.
However, the MUA is taking somewhat of a risk because if a unit fails again, Parkson’s duties and responsibilities to the authority will end without further financial or legal consequence for that unit.
Because of the structural failures of their product, Parkson has considered ceasing manufacturing these parts, Norkis said.
Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck@cmcherald.com.