City of Fort Myers selects Carollo Engineers to oversee construction of $80M water treatment plant expansion project

FORT MYERS, FL, AUG. 13, 2025 – The City of Fort Myers has selected Carollo Engineers to provide construction engineering & inspection services for the expansion of its reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant (WTP), marking a significant step forward in maintaining reliable water service for the community.

Operating 24 hours a day since its construction in 1991 and subsequent upgrade in 2002, the WTP reliably serves the nearly 100,000 residents of the city with a rated capacity of 13.04 million gallons per day (mgd). The facility consistently meets or exceeds state and federal regulations while processing an average daily demand of up to 9 million gallons of high-quality drinking water. The existing RO system draws water from 27 wells in the Upper Floridan Aquifer and utilizes 2-stage RO membrane units for treatment of the brackish source water. After RO treatment, permeate water is blended with bypass water to add alkalinity and hardness to the water. The combined water is then passed through a de-gasifier system to remove hydrogen sulfide and other dissolved gases, followed by post-treatment stabilization and disinfection in the finished water chemical addition vault before storage and distribution to customers.

The expansion project is essential to support Fort Myers’ projected population growth and increasing water demands for the next 20 years. The City has committed over $80 million to this comprehensive initiative, which will modernize the plant, enhance efficiency, and expand capacity to provide reliable service for the future.

Improvements include:

• Installation of additional treatment capacity to address source water limitations and provide operational flexibility when raw water quality fluctuates.
• Addition of backup equipment and systems to maintain uninterrupted service during maintenance or unexpected events.
• Modernization of infrastructure to improve efficiency and control.
• Upgraded electrical systems and controls to enhance reliability and reduce energy consumption.

Expanding and modernizing the facility positions the City of Fort Myers to maintain high-quality water production and aligns with the city’s long-term vision, as described by Assistant Director of Public Utilities Jason Sciandra:

“This investment marks a significant advancement in our long-term vision to become the leading municipal utility provider in Southwest Florida,” said Sciandra. “We are not only expanding the facility’s capacity to meet demand through 2040 but also implementing critical resiliency measures to safeguard against potential shifts in water quality driven by population growth and climate change.”

Given the project’s importance, the City issued a request for qualifications to select qualified consultants for construction oversight, start-up testing, and commissioning of the new treatment facilities. Carollo was selected based on expertise in membrane treatment design, construction management, and quality control.

“We are honored to partner with the City of Fort Myers to oversee the delivery of this vital project,” said Carollo Project Manager Tom Seacord. “Our team brings broad experience in reverse osmosis system design and construction, and we look forward to providing expert contract administration services for successful project completion.”

Construction began in Q2 2025 with a total duration of 36 months, maintaining operations throughout the expansion.

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Media Contact:
Cameron McWilliam
Senior Public Relations Manager // Carollo
cmcwilliam@carollo.com