EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: July 18, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Melvin E. Gaines, City Manager
BY: Humza Javed, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Final Design for the University/Weeks 12-Inch Water Main Project; and the Woodland Watermain Project
Recommendation
Adopt two Resolutions:
1) A resolution approving the design and the funding strategy including the related funds transfer of the University and Weeks Street 12-Inch Water Main Project and authorizing the City Manager to advertise the project for construction bids. 2) A resolution approving the design and the funding strategy including the related funds transfer of the Woodland Avenue Waterline and City of Palo Alto Interconnect project and authorizing the City Manager to advertise the project for construction bids.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Improve Water Infrastructure
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. 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 allocations 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. Critical housing projects, such as the City’s own 965 Weeks Street, is also 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.
In October 2022 the City Council adopted the Water System Master Plan (WSMP) which identified priority water projects as well as a funding strategy for near term priority water projects. The priority 1A projects as identified in the WSMP are to be implemented within the next five years. The projects brought forth with this report are all priority 1A projects. Following is a description of the projects:
12-Inch Water Main Project along University 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’Brien Street and University Avenue. The proposed water main continues southerly along University Avenue up to Donohoe Street in East Palo Alto. This new water main will connect to the existing water main at multiple locations providing additional flow along Michigan Avenue, Bay Road, Weeks Street, Runnymede Street, and Bell 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. 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. 12-Inch Water Main Project along Weeks Street
This project includes replacing the existing 8” cast iron water main with a new 12” PVC water main from Cooley Avenue to Pulgas Avenue. This new water main would connect to the new 12” watermain on University Avenue (see project above). This new watermain would provide additional flow capacity to critical projects such as the 965 Weeks affordable housing project as well as other projects in RBD. 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 2,600 linear feet.
Staff is seeking authority to formally bid both of the foregoing projects as one bid package in order to get better bid pricing for the projects.
Woodland Ave. Waterline and Palo Alto Interconnect project This project includes installation of 12” PVC watermain on Woodland Avenue across University Avenue. The project also includes a new interconnection with the City of Palo Alto. 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 500 linear feet. The City has completed its Agreement with Palo Alto for this project and the City of Palo Alto has signed off on the design.
Analysis
Freyer & Laureta, Inc. (F&L) provided engineering design services for both water transmission main projects. The design package for both projects is at 100% completion level and the projects are ready to be issued for bid. The project design packages are located on the City website at the following link:
<https://www.cityofepa.org/publicworks/project/university-avenue-and-weeks-street-12-water- transmission-main-project>
<https://www.cityofepa.org/publicworks/project/woodland-avenue-waterline-and-city-palo-altointerconnect-project> Fiscal Impact
The projects are estimated as follows:
Cost Estimate
Project Amount
WS-04B/WD-04C/P-3 - 12” Water
Transmission Main Project along University
Avenue
$5,230,000
P 21-A - Replace existing 8” main on Weeks
Street between Cooley Avenue and Pulgas St
with new 12” PVC main
$2,200,000
WS-01/P-1: Woodland Avenue Waterline
and City of Palo Alto Interconnect Project
$400,000
Total $7,830,000
Each project will be brought back to City Council for contract award and these numbers will be updated at that time.
The following table updates the funding strategy approved by the Council in October 2022.
Funding Strategy
Source Amount
State Earmark $1,500,000
Measure HH $1,000,000
RDA Housing Successor $1,000,000
State Budget earmark (Formerly General
Fund reserve)
$2,000,000
Water Impact Fees $300,000
Water Capital Fund $965,000
Past ARPA Allocation $700,000
Additional ARPA saving funds $400,000
Total $7,865,000
The changes from the previously presented funding strategy consist of the following items.
1. The $2M State budget earmark replaces the General Fund contribution to the projects which will require a transfer back from Water Capital Fund to the General Fund for $2M.
2. The $400K additional ARPA saving funds is added to the funding strategy which will require a transfer from the ARPA funds committed balance in the General Fund to Water Capital Fund.
3. The $450K Water Impact Fees is reduced to $300K.
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. CEQA compliance will be conducted when the contracts are for these projects.
Attachments
1. Resolution - University Ave. and Weeks St. 12" Watermain Project
2. Resolution - Woodland Ave. Watermain and Palo Alto Intertie Project