{{section.number}}f
CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Revised Specifications for Vault Dewatering, Hazardous Waste Disposal and Emergency Response Clean-Up.
1. Resolution adopting revised Specification No. 3982R to furnish materials, equipment and labor for vault dewatering, hazardous waste disposal and emergency response clean-up for Glendale Water & Power (GWP) and directing the City Clerk to advertise for bids.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Calendar
Approved for September 10, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Glendale Water & Power (GWP) plans to contract with a company that provides support services such as vault dewatering, hazardous waste disposal and emergency clean-up of GWP facilities to allow staff to conduct repair and maintenance, and restore power and water services, as soon as possible following interruption of services. In performing operation and maintenance services, GWP is faced with challenges that prevents the continuous service to its customers. Occasionally, an overhead transformer explodes that requires immediate clean-up or an equipment failure in the underground vault needs to be repaired to restore power immediately to the vicinity.
To conduct the repairs, the vault must first be cleaned and dewatered for staff to safely conduct the repairs. Additionally, the oily water cannot be discharged to the street in compliance with the federal and state environmental regulations. The clean-up and emergency response usually generates hazardous waste that should be disposed of properly and by certified contractors.
The original Specification approved by the City Council, was posted on May 9 and May 13, 2024, on the Glendale Independent and the City’s website, and emailed to ten potential bidders. However, no contractor responded to the bid due to questions they had relating to prevailing wages, bonds, the engineer’s estimate, and response time on- site after GWP’s call. GWP has addressed the questions and increased the incident response time from 1-2 hours to 3-4 hours onsite, with a requirement to respond to GWP’s first phone call within a half hour.
2{{section.number}}f
5 4
0 6
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the revised Specification No. 3982R to furnish materials, equipment, and labor for vault dewatering, hazardous waste disposal and emergency response clean-up for Glendale Water & Power, and to direct the City Clerk to advertise for bids.
ANALYSIS
Glendale Water & Power (GWP) provides power and water services reliably to the residents and businesses in Glendale. In conducting these services, GWP is faced daily with operational, maintenance and construction and regulatory challenges that prevents the continuous service to the public. Occasionally, an overhead transformer explodes and spills oil into resident’s pool or garden, a pipeline breaks and discharges polluted water into the street, or an equipment fails inside an electric vault that is full of water. Additionally, a chemical spill at the Power Plant may require immediate clean-up to protect the public and the nearby river. To conduct some repairs, for example inside the vault, the vault must first be cleaned and dewatered for staff to safely perform the repairs. The oily water cannot be discharged easily to the street as GWP needs to comply with the federal and state discharge regulations. Thus, GWP needs a contractor that can provide support services such as vault dewatering, hazardous waste disposal and emergency response cleanup for GWP restore operation.
Vault Dewatering - Underground vaults accumulate water from rain, yard cleaning or from residents’ lawn irrigation. An equipment failure in the vault requires cleaning and dewatering these vaults, as soon as possible, for GWP staff to safely repair the defective equipment and restore power immediately to the customers. The water sometimes cannot be discharged to the street as GWP electric has to comply with the water discharge requirements. Additionally, the vault dewatering clean-up and emergency response usually generates hazardous wastes that requires timely and proper disposal as required by federal and state environmental laws.
Hazardous Waste Disposal - Aside from the waste generated from the emergency clean-up, the GWP water and power O & M and construction activities generates and accumulates hazardous wastes in their work areas. These wastes must be stored and managed and disposed of properly and timely. GWP relies on contractors who can transport the wastes to certified disposal in-state or out-of-state facilities for appropriate treatment and disposal.
Emergency Response Clean-Up - In some instances GWP operations may generate spills in their work areas that require immediate clean-up because of the proximity to a storm drain or water body, or the spill is large and is beyond GWP staff capacity to clean-up. For example, a transformer that blew up where contents sprayed into the resident’s swimming pool or vegetable garden, or a spill that occurred in the Power plant area and has potential of discharging to the river.
Staff has addressed the contractors’ questions relating to prevailing wages, bonds, the engineer’s estimate, and response time on-site after GWP’s call, and increased the incident response time from 1-2 hours to 3-4 hours onsite, with a requirement to respond to GWP’s first phone call within a half hour, along with some other minor changes to the Bid list by including other bid line items identified in the review. 3{{section.number}}f
5 4
0 6
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Not applicable.
FISCAL IMPACT
The vault dewatering, hazardous waste disposal and emergency clean-up will cost $105,000 annually and is included in the FY 2024-2025 budget. Staff will return to Council to award the contract.
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$81,900 43110-5820-GWP-4540-P0000 Electric Works Revenue Fund
$23,100 43110-5920-GWP-4540-P0000 Water Works Revenue
Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The herein subject action of adopting the revised specifications is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and thus a CEQA analysis is not required.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Not to adopt the revised Specification No. 3982R, and authorize the City Clerk to advertise for bids.
Alternate 2: Consider other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Manuel Robledo, Acting General Manager - Glendale Water and Power Prepared by:
Stephen Nersesyan, Assistant General Manager - Support Services Miriam C. Sykes, Sr. Environmental Program Specialist
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
None.