Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION APPROVING A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE
CONDITION ASSESSMENTS OF THE CITY'S SEWER LIFT
STATIONS AND WELL SITES
Date: September 23, 2025
Written by: Craig Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Cotati City Council adopt a resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement with Schaaf and Wheeler to prepare condition assessments of the City’s sewer lift stations and well sites and authorizing the City Manager to execute said agreement.
Background
The City owns and operates a public sewer system and a public water system, and these systems require ongoing maintenance and periodically condition assessments to determine any needed equipment replacement and/or site remediation. These efforts are to ensure the safe and reliable operation of these systems.
Analysis/Discussion
The City has four sewer lift stations and three drinking water wells. The intent of the proposed condition assessment of these facilities is to identify components that are reaching the end of their useful lives and subject to failure. These components can be proactively replaced or renewed before they fail to improve the reliability of these systems.
The lift stations receive sewage through gravity flow, and each has two submersible pumps which operate on a flow sensor. Each station is submersible which means the pumps, piping, and sensors are contained in a well filled with sewage and the equipment is subjected to a highly corrosive environment. The well containing the sewage, pipes entering and existing the wet well, equipment, sensors, and rest of the infrastructure is to have their condition assessed to determine the need for renewal and/or replacement.
The drinking water system’s three wells each have infrastructure consisting of the well column, casing, submersible pump, electrical system, sensors, treatment system, and for two of the wells, granular activated carbon filtration systems. These sites are monitored continuously by instrumentation for proper operation and are automatically shut down if critical parameters are not met. Additionally, each site is inspected daily by Public Works Staff and water samples are collected and sent to a lab for analysis of water quality. A condition assessment would identify renewal and/or replacement needs of the components and factor in their visual condition, operating within design parameters, and expected life.
In June 2024, the City issued a Request for Proposals for engineering services including condition assessments and received 16 proposals. After evaluating the proposals, Staff determined Shaaf and Wheeler was the most qualified to provide condition assessment services.
In late 2024, Staff requested and Schaaf and Wheeler provided a proposal to perform condition assessments on the City’s sewer lift stations and its three drinking water wells. The City has negotiated the attached proposal and finds it fair and reasonable and recommends it for approval.
If approved, the services would be conducted through the end of this year with deliverables due in early 2026. Following completion of these services, the City would include identified renewal and replacement projects in its five-year Capital Improvement Program.
Financial Considerations
The City’s Fiscal Years 25/26 – 26/27 Adopted budget includes the following in the first year:
• Water Renewal and Replacement $150,000
• Sewer Renewal and Replacement $70,000
The Schaaf and Wheeler proposal is for $218,230 for Water and $78,749 for Sewer, which results in budget shortfalls of $68,230 and $8,749 for Water and Sewer, respectively. Staff propose using $68,230 from the unappropriated Water Fund balance and $8,749 of funds from the unappropriated Sewer Fund balance. Please see attached proposed budget amendment.
For the Water Fund, the impact to fund balance was previously reduced with the deferral of the Distribution Monitoring Project ($130,000) to fund the Emergency Water Repairs Project ($74,000). The difference of $58,000 was returned to the unappropriated fund balance and will be used to partially offset the proposed project.
Environmental Issues
This action is found to qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15301 in that the project consists of the 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 the existing or former use.