4 3
1 DATE: January 21, 2025
TO: President and Members of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) Board of Directors
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, District Manager
Marlene, Assistant District Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director/District Engineer Laura Galli, Public Works Engineering Manager
Justin Lai, Public Works Senior Civil Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: TASK ORDER WITH BKF ENGINEERS FOR ON-CALL CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,604 TO
PROVIDE A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR CIP 455-710 SHELL
BRIDGE SANITARY SEWER FORCE MAIN REHABILITATION
PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the EMID Board of Directors adopt the attached resolution authorizing:
1. The EMID President to execute Task Order BKF-2025-01 with BKF Engineers in the amount of $55,604 to provide a feasibility study for CIP 455-710 Shell Bridge Sanitary Sewer Force Main Rehabilitation Project under the Master Professional Civil Engineering Services Agreement; and
2. The establishment of a contingency in the amount of $8,250 with authorization given to the District Manager or their designee, to execute contract amendments up to the contingency amount.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 3
1 The existing 16-inch sewer force main that crosses Shell Bridge developed a small crack which required an emergency repair. A temporary repair was completed at the beginning of 2021. One of the District’s on-call consultants, BKF Engineers (BKF), assessed the pipe and prepared a report indicating that more of the line is experiencing areas of deterioration. The District staff would like to further task BKF with performing a feasibility study to verify if lining the sewer force main would be a suitable solution for full rehabilitation. If this approach is determined to be feasible, BKF will provide a schematic design and cost estimate for the improvements.
Funding in the amount of $500,000 is available in the project budget. If lining the sewer force main is determined to be a feasible option, a recommendation will be brought back to the EMID Board to award a contract for a complete set of plans and specifications. If the sewer force main is not suitable for lining, the project scope will need to be modified to include a full replacement of the force main instead of rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND
On July 18, 2022, the City Council/EMID Board adopted City Resolution No. 2022-87 and approved a Master Professional Civil Engineering Services Agreement with BKF under which the City/District can access on-call civil engineering services to carry out specific tasks with the approval of a Task Order. BKF was selected through a competitive process, in accordance with the City’s purchasing policy, and was selected to provide on-call Civil Engineering Services. BKF has worked on several projects with Foster City and is fully qualified to manage, design, and support CIP 455-710.
An existing 16-inch force main, which is a pressurized pipe, was originally constructed in the 1960’s and is a critical infrastructure that conveys over 500,000 gallons of sewage (approximately one-third of the wastewater generated in the City) daily to the San Mateo Wastewater Treatment Plant. The force main is attached to the Shell Boulevard bridge crossing the lagoon. During a routine maintenance inspection, a small crack was identified on the top side of the force main. Express Plumbing Inc. (EPS) was hired to perform a temporary emergency repair. The repairs were completed in February 2021 and included replacement of the air release valve located on the force main at the high point of the bridge. The localized failure of the pipe and air release valve is attributed to the corrosive environment of wastewater and repeated exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas.
The District engaged BKF to perform a condition assessment of the 16-inch force main to determine the overall condition and the remaining useful life. The condition assessment discovered additional areas impacted by corrosion and concluded that the recent failure observed by the District was not an isolated event. Rehabilitation or full replacement of the pipe is necessary. If feasible, rehabilitation would be more cost effective over full pipe replacement and could achieve similar results.
ANALYSIS
4 3
1 Further investigation is required to determine a suitable rehabilitation method for the 16- inch pipe along Shell Bridge. District staff investigated different options for rehabilitation but found that the most practical and cost-effective solution would be to line the existing pipe. A new layer of material would be installed within the existing pipe, which essentially creates a new pipe within the existing pipe extending the useful life up to 50 years. In order to do so, the feasibility of accessing the pipe and assessing its suitability for lining needs to be confirmed with the construction industry. The configuration of the piping attached to the bridge, including multiple right angles and access constraints, may present challenges for lining.
BKF will be tasked with evaluating the existing condition of the structural pipe supports, coordinating with contractors, and assessing the feasibility for lining. Currently the existing pipeline does not have lateral seismic support and may need additional structural modifications. If the rehabilitation is feasible based on the review, BKF will provide a report, schematic design and cost estimate for doing the work.
If a lining design is recommended, a scope of work for a full set of plans and specifications will be negotiated, and the project will be brought back to EMID Board of Directors for execution of a design agreement. If lining is determined infeasible, staff will return to the EMID Board of Directors with a plan for the replacement of the sewer force main. A full replacement of the sewer force main will be more involved and more costly.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15301(c) – Existing Facilities.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed fees in the amount of $55,604 have been determined reasonable based on the scope of services. Additionally, a project contingency in the amount of $8,250 or approximately 15% of the contract amount is recommended to pay for additional services to mitigate unforeseen tasks or for additional services that may be required.
The project is currently funded with a budget of $500,000.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
Public Safety and Social Equity
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Task Order BKF-2025-01