EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 15, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Jaime M. Fontes, City Manager
BY: Humza Javed, City Engineer
Kamal Fallaha, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: 12-Inch Transmission Water Main Project along University Avenue/Cooley Avenue funding strategy
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving a funding strategy for the 12-Inch Transmission Water Main Project along University Avenue/Cooley.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 1: Enhance Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Priority No. 2: Enhance Economic Vitality
Priority No. 4: Improve Public Facilities and Infrastructure Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
Due to the need to meet potential emergency water supply shortfalls and the future water demand envisioned in the City General Plan and the Ravenswood Specific Plan over the next 20 years, the City pursued additional water supplies over the last several years. The City was able to increase the availability of water through the development of groundwater wells. The City was also able to secure water supply allocation from the Cities of Mountain View and Palo Alto. With the increase in water supply allocation, essential improvements to the City’s water distribution system are needed to provide additional flow, storage, redundancy, and reliability.
These improvements are intended to protect the health and safety of East Palo Alto residents.
Fire flow data at various locations in the City, including the southside (Willow and Woodland Neighborhood) and the Ravenswood Business District, are currently at unacceptable levels for new development. This directly impacts the City’s ability to approve some of the development projects that have already been approved by the City Council. Critical housing projects, such as the City’s own 965 Weeks Street, will also be impacted. Constructing new watermains to supply more water flow to these areas is critical to addressing the fire flow requirements as required by the Fire Code.
As proposed in the Water Safety Strategy Blueprint, presented to the City Council on January 30th, 2020, the water infrastructure will be improved in phases. The number one priority is the 12-Inch Transmission Water Main Project along University Avenue/Cooley Avenue. This project includes installation of a 12” water main from the City's upgraded water intertie with San Francisco Public Utilities Company (SFPUC) at O’Brian Street and University Avenue.
The proposed water main continues southerly along University Avenue and Cooley Avenue up to Donohoe Street in East Palo Alto. This water main will connect to the existing water main at multiple locations providing additional flow along Bay Road, Weeks Street, Runnymede Street, Bell Street, and Green Street. The 12-inch water main will bypass sections of the city that currently have adequate water flow and deliver a large volume of water to areas in need, including, but not limited to 965 Weeks Street. The scope of the proposed work will include trenching, 12-inch C-900 PVC piping, traffic control and surface repair. The total length of the project is approximately one mile.
Analysis
On January 8, 2022, City Council held a Strategic Priority Setting retreat to establish the City Council’s Strategic Priorities. Of the priorities set as an outcome of this retreat, improving the City’s water infrastructure, and primarily the 12-Inch Water Transmission main project was identified as a Council priority.
The design package for the project is 100% complete and it was approved by City Council on March 16, 2021.
The City currently does not have available funding for the construction of the project. Over the course of the last two years, the City has submitted grant applications through Economic Development Agency (EDA) and has been unsuccessful during these cycles.
This is a key project to bring additional flow to areas with inadequate flow throughout the City.
Due to the urgency of need of additional water flow to upcoming developments, it is recommended the City Council approve a funding strategy to fund construction of this project.
The project design package is located on the City website at the following link:
<https://www.cityofepa.org/publicworks/project/university-ave-and-cooley-ave-12-watertransmission-main-project> Upon approval by City Council, Staff will begin the project advertisement phase. A tentative schedule is as follows:
May 2022 Advertise the project for construction bids
June 2022 Open Bids
July 2022 City Council award of construction contract
September 2022 Start of Construction
March 2023 Construction completion
Fiscal Impact
The construction of this project is estimated at $4,904,130.
The project can be funded as follows:
Water Capital (Fund 511) $3,794,000
CIP (Fund 301) $ 700,000
Water Impact fees $ 456,000
Total $4,950,000
Public Notice
The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s website and at the San Mateo Co. Library located at 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
Attachments
1. Resolution