EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 2, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Melvin E. Gaines, City Manager
BY: Humza Javed, Public Works Director
Greg Henry, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Water service Capital Improvements at 2415 University Ave.
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to direct Veolia to perform water system capital improvements at 2415 University Avenue and to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with San Mateo County wherein the County funds half of the proposed project.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
· Promote Health & Public Safety
· Improve the City's Water Infrastructure
Background
There have been recent complaints about the water quality at 2415 University Avenue. This building is a county-owned facility with tenants such as the Library, City Hall, and others. The building is served by an 8-inch cast iron pipe which runs from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) source, which is the water turnout at O’Brien Drive. The existing 8” pipe runs about a quarter mile with no other connections before reaching 2415 University Ave.
In response to the complaints, City staff and the City’s water operator (Veolia), have worked with County staff to address the complaints of water discoloration at the facility. Some of the recent improvements included replacing the service lateral by the City and replacement of plumbing fixtures by the County.
Veolia continues to perform hydrant flushing on a regular basis to ensure water turnover and avoid scour buildup along this long length of cast iron pipe.
Based on multiple water samples obtained by the County as well as the City at 2415 University Avenue (Facility), there are no water quality violations/exceedances and all of the constituents are within standards (MCL - Maximum contaminant levels); hence, the water is safe according to the criteria set by the State. Veolia has shared the water quality results with the State Division of Drinking Water and has also provided a letter to the County regarding the safe water quality at the Facility.
Analysis
Although water sampling has shown no evidence of a danger posed to the public, staff nonetheless recommends addressing the tenants’ concerns about discolored water. The proposed option, presented by Veolia, involves performing a permanent improvement to the Facility. This improvement includes replacement of the existing water connection from University Avenue to a new water main connection on Bay Road. (Because the existing water main on Bay Road includes many services, there are no concerns with scour build-up in the water main.)
Under this option, the project could be completed within six weeks of the notice to proceed. 12” Watermain project on University Avenue
The City is currently designing the 12-inch water main project along University Ave., which should be under construction later this summer and completed by Spring 2024. A second option could consist of attaching a new water connection to this new water main to serve the Facility. Although a permanent solution, it comes with the cost of waiting one year, as well as a cost of regular flushing which is an inconvenience to the tenants as the water is shut off at the Facility during the flushing.
Fiscal Impact
The cost of adding a new connection from the Facility to the watermain on Bay Road is approximately $90,000. Because this is a County-owned facility, staff has negotiated the cost of this to be split 50/50 with the County of San Mateo. The $45,000 city match will be paid through the Water Capital fund.
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 proposed action does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15378(b)(4) and (5) in that it is a governmental fiscal, organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
Attachments
1. Resolution - Water service improvements at 2415 University Avenue