Business Item 5a
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ DATE: October 3, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Brendan Byrd, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Consider Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate a Contract with Watson Well for the Well 5b Project (CIP 9066), Resolution 2022-30 STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Consider approving Resolution 2022-30, which authorizesthe City Manager to negotiate a contract with Watson Well for the continued development and testing of Well 5b.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In February 2022, the City’s contractor completed installing Well 5b at the City’s well field located on Eel River Drive. This well will replace the current Well 5, which has experienced performance reductions in recent years and ultimately requires replacement to ensure the City has a robust and resilient water source. As part of that construction contract, the contractor installed the new well and performed various pumping tests, including a draw-down test (to determine true well capacity) and turbidity testing (to determine that temporary construction sediments were sufficiently removed). After well testing was complete and accepted, City staff collected raw water samples from the new well and sent them to the City’s contract lab for analysis. These samples are required in order to bring the new well into active service through the Department of Water Resources (DWR).
In early spring the City received the sample results back from the lab which indicated all parameters were normal and consistent with the City’s existing wells, with a single exception. The manganese concentration came back approximately 20-times higher than what is consistently measured in the City’s existing wells. This concentration is also approximately 10-times higher than the allowable maximum contamination limit (MCL) that can be sent to the City’s distribution system.
The high manganese results in the new well is likely being caused by one of two possible issues.
First, the new Well 5b is the first and only of the City’s wells to be installed to a depth that projects into the lower Eel River aquifer, and therefore it could be that the water chemistry of that aquifer is different than what has been historically seen in the upper aquifer. Second, it is possible that although the previous pump testing was sufficient to develop the well and satisfy the specifications of the contract, it could be that residual effects of the construction and development could have resulted in artificially high manganese concentrations, one that could be remedied from further pumping/development. To work through these issues, staff worked with our consulting engineers Business Item 5a
to develop a number of pump tests and sampling regimes, which can be used to develop alternatives for how the City can move forward with bringing the new well into active service.
To perform the pump testing and sampling, the City requires a specialized well drilling contractor that has the equipment and expertise in this type of large-scale well development. As this is a relatively small project, and time is of the essence, staff are proposing an exception to bidding per City of Fortuna Municipal Code Section 2.50.070D. If awarded without formal bidding, staff are confident that this will serve the public interest by reducing costs and allowing for quicker project delivery.
Staff solicited four local (Northern California) well drilling contractors to provide directs bids to perform the work using the testing methods developed by the City’s engineers. The results of the bid solicitation are shown in the table below.
Table 1. Bid summary for continued testing and development of Well 5b.
Contractor Bid Price
Watson Well $32,047.90
Weeks Drilling and Pumping $53,146.80
Fisch Drilling Declined to Bid
Rich Drilling Declined to Bid
As shown above, Watson Well was determined to be the best contractor to complete this work in a timely manner. Staff and our engineers also feel that the bid cost is fair and reasonable. Per Fortuna Municipal Code Section 2.50.070 D, a draft Resolution has been prepared and included as Attachment A.
If approved Watson Well would look to mobilize to the site immediately and have the additional well development and sampling completed by the end of October. After the sampling results come back from the lab, staff will work with our engineers to determine how to best bring Well 5b online, and construction plans will be developed and bid as a separate contract.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The project is funded by Water Reserve Fund 510 in the total amount of $200,000. Funding remaining after this effort will be used for future construction and continued engineering services.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions with staff
2. Open Public Comment
3. Close Public Comment
4. Motion to approve Resolution 2022-30, read by title only, and authorize the City Manager to negotiate a contract with Watson Wells for the Well 5b project for a total contract value not to exceed $32,050.00, and read by title only. Voice vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution 2022-30, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Fortuna approving a contract for the Well 5b Project with Watson Well.
Business Item 5a
RESOLUTION 2022-30
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORTUNA APPROVING A CONTRACT FOR THE WELL 5B PROJECT WITH WATSON WELL WHEREAS, the City has an immediate need for a contractor to perform further well development and testing for the City’s Well 5b project (the “Services”); and WHEREAS, the City wishes to contract with a qualified well development contractor to provide the Services cost-effectively and as quickly as is possible; and WHEREAS, a standard public bidding process for the Services would not be appropriate due to the small nature of the Services, and the need to have a contractor that can perform the work expeditiously, economically, effectively and safely; and WHEREAS, Section 2.50.070.D of the Fortuna Municipal Code provides that formal bidding is not required when the City Council finds that a negotiated contract best serves the City due to the nature of the contractual service; and
WHEREAS, City staff requested informal proposals from 5 well drilling and pumping contractors with the requisite qualifications to determine which contractor would best meet the City’s needs for providing the Services; and
WHEREAS, City staff determined that Watson Well is the best qualified to provide the Services based on their qualifications, unit pricing, equipment, and availability.
WHEREAS, City staff negotiated with Watson Wells to develop a scope of work for the project, with a total contract not to exceed value of $32,050.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Fortuna City Council of the City of Fortuna hereby finds that pursuant to Section 2.50.070.D of the Fortuna Municipal Code, a negotiated agreement for providing the Services for this portion of the Well 5b project best serves the City due to the nature of the Services.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fortuna City Council of the City of Fortuna does hereby approve the award of the Contract for this portion of the Well 5b project to Watson Well, for an amount not to exceed $32,050.00 (thirty-five thousand dollars) without prior written authorization, and authorizes the City Manager to execute the Contract and to take all other actions necessary to implement the Contract.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on this 3rd day of October 2022 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
_____________________________
Sue Long, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
Siana Emmons, City Clerk