Item 378/2024
Final
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To:
Lisa L. Kim From: Samuel Kim
Dept:
City Manager Dept: Public Works
Date: 9/24/2024
Subject: Approval of a Cost Sharing Agreement with Municipal Water District of Orange County for Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and update an Emergency Response Plan. (Cost: $106,950) (Action Item)
OBJECTIVE
To request that the City Council approve a Cost Sharing Agreement with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) to conduct a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and update an Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
BACKGROUND
On October 23, 2018, Congress signed into law the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA). Per Section 2013 of Title II, the AWIA requires all drinking water utilities to conduct a RRA of their community water system and develop a corresponding ERP. These documents must be updated and recertified to the Environmental P rotection Agency (EPA) every five years.
MWDOC was requested to facilitate this joint effort to retain one consulting firm to prepare RRAs and ERPs and to potentially save time and costs through economies of scale. In February 2024, MWDOC solicited Request for Proposals to prepare the RRA and ERP on behalf of MWDOC member agencies, of which Garden Grove is a member. A selection committee evaluated the proposals and recommended Herndon Solutions Group (HSG) based on their proposal being geared towards e fficiency and partnership with MWDOC on obtaining key information such as data collection and risk analyses.
DISCUSSION
MWDOC proposed a 3 Phase process to meet the AWIA requirements. Phase 1 will determine what resources each agency already has and identify any deficiencies for compliance. Phase 2 will consist of the completion of the RRA to determine the risk and resilience of all drinking water assets (physical, operational, and cyber) owned, utilized, or operated by each participating agency in accordance with industry standards. Phase 3 will be tailored to each agency’s needs, based on the level of ERP development required. Each agency will receive the support and attention of experienced emergency planners to update their ERP documents.
Item 378/2024
MWDOC recom mended that all agencies participate in Phase 1, as the determination of resources and identification of deficiencies is key to the completion of Phases 2 and 3. A letter of commitment indicating participation in Phase 1 was submitted to MWDOC and will be handled as a separate item than Phase 2 and 3.
In accordance with the AWIA, the RRA and updated ERP must be submitted to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency by March 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025, respectively.
Staff has limited resources and an aggressive schedule in which to complete the RRA and ERP by the required due date. Therefore, staff is seeking to enter into a cost sharing agreement, in the amount of $106,950 with MWDOC to have HSG prepare the City’s RRA and ERP update.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for this cost sharing agreement in the amount of $106,950 has been allocated in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Water Enterprise Budget. There is no impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Approve the attached agreement with the Municipal Water District of Orange County to assist the City in conducting a Risk and Resilience Assessment and update an Emergency Response Plan, in the amount of, not to exceed $106,950; and Authorize the City Manager , or designee, to execute the agreement on behalf of the City and make minor modifications as appropriate thereto.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Agreement
2. Letter of Commitment