DATE: October 7, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
2026-076
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
SUBJECT:
NEW OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT FOR WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY 1 AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH AND SWITCHGEAR REPAIRS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks City Council to approve the creation of a new operating and maintenance project to make repairs and minor upgrades to the backup power system at Water Reclamation Facility #1 and authorize an appropriation of $150,000 from the Sewer Utility Fund (FD_1572) to this project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the creation of a new Operating and Maintenance Project titled “Water Reclamation Facility #1 Automatic Transfer Switch and Switchgear Repairs.” b. Authorize an appropriation in the amount of $150,000 from the Sewer Utility Fund (FD_1572) to the new project titled Water Reclamation Facility #1 Automatic Transfer Switch and Switchgear Repairs.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct that the City Council take the above actions.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Utilities Department operates three Water Reclamation Facilities, which process all sewage in the City of Corona. The largest facility is Water Reclamation Facility #1 (WRF1), which has a treatment capacity of 11.5 million gallons per day. The facility has two 1-megawatt generators to power the facility and continue operations in the event of a power outage. The Utilities Department utilized Dudek to prepare a condition assessment of the generators, automatic transfer switches (ATSs), and switchgear to identify any repairs or upgrades needed to maintain the operability of the backup power system, and keep the plant operational in the event of an outage. The report identified several needed repairs for the ATSs and switchgear.
ANALYSIS:
Staff obtained a budgetary quote from one of the City’s on-call electrical contractors to do the work. The work includes:
• Replacing trip units,
• Breaker testing,
• Inspecting, cleaning and torquing switchboards,
• Verifying fans and controls are operational, and
• Testing and servicing ATSs.
This work requires several days of work in order to stagger the partial shutdowns necessary to complete the work. Staff recommends the creation of a project and an appropriation of $150,000 to complete the work. The work is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2026 to ensure the backup power system is in good condition in advance of predicted El Nino weather.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount of $150,000 to the newly created Water Reclamation Facility #1 Automatic Transfer Switch and Switchgear Repairs, Operating and Maintenance Project within the Sewer Utility Fund (FD_1572). There is sufficient working capital available for the recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15302 (c) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA), which states that “operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the CEQA determination” and is therefore exempt from CEQA. This action consists of the repair to existing equipment and therefore, is exempt from the requirements of CEQA. No environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: KATIE HOCKETT, ASSISTANT UTILITIES DIRECTOR REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, UTILITIES DIRECTOR