Cleveland Water Secures Specialized Equipment and Maintenance Contracts

The Cleveland Division of Water is moving forward with a plan to ensure the continued accuracy of the city's drinking water testing through a new agreement with Hach Company. City Council has passed emergency ordinance 599-2026, which authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into requirement contracts without competitive bidding to secure essential laboratory supplies and technical services. This agreement is designed to support the specialized equipment used throughout the city's treatment facilities and distribution system to maintain water quality standards.

According to the 599-2026 Legislative Summary, these direct award contracts are necessary to comply with Ohio EPA rules, which require regular water analysis and the continuous monitoring of analytical instruments. The scope of work includes the purchase of laboratory supplies—such as spectrometers, colorimeters, and various fine chemicals—as well as the calibration, preventative maintenance, and repair of Hach-manufactured instruments like chlorine analyzers and pH meters. The Division of Water noted that Hach must perform these services to preserve equipment warranties and to meet strict regulatory timelines, including a requirement to complete repairs within three business days of a malfunction. The two-year contract is projected to cost $650,000 in the first year and $675,000 in the second year, for a total of $1,325,000, with funding sourced from the Division of Water’s General Operating or Capital Funds.

The legislation has officially passed through City Council. Residents can monitor future updates regarding water utility operations and Department of Public Utilities procurement through the Cleveland City Council records.

Source record

File
599-2026
Type
Emergency Ordinance
Status
Passed
Committee
City Council
Introduced
May 6, 2026

View on Cleveland Legistar

Official documents

Sources