REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Remon Habib, City Engineer
Date:July 9, 2024
Subject:Professional Services Agreement with Lynn Merrill & Associates, Inc. for Technical Support for the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Compliance
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Lynn Merrill and Associates for NPDES related compliance and consulting in an amount not to exceed $44,000 for a two-year contract term in final form as approved by the City Attorney.
Background
Lynn Merrill and Associates have been providing NPDES Permit and Lake Elsinore-Canyon Lake TMDL support since FY 20-21. There is a forthcoming Tri-County MS4 Permit which is currently undergoing detailed reviews and comments with the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange. It is projected this new permit will be adopted in 2025. This new permit will necessitate additional inspections, WQMP and reporting requirements.
Stormwater discharges in the City are authorized under the NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit issued by the State Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. The current and forthcoming Tri-County MS4 Permits requires the City to implement activities to eliminate and prevent pollutants from entering the storm drain system. Among other actions, this permit mandates that the City inspect construction sites and industrial and commercial facilities and outfalls within its legal jurisdiction, review water quality management plans, attend mandatory meetings and training, prepare and submit annual reports, maintain databases of training, construction sites, commercial and industrial sites and post construction water quality facilities.
PSA Lynn Merrill and Associates
Discussion
Lynn Merrill and Associates, Inc., have been satisfactorily performing NPDES support and inspection services for the City for the last five (5) years. Lynn Merrill’s proposal evidenced their ability to meet all requirements to perform as needed NPDES professional services for the City with a fee schedule in line with current staff costs.
Currently, NPDES commercial and industrial site inspections and various other NPDES related tasks are conducted by Lynn Merrill and Associates under the current agreement.
This agreement with contracted support will ensure the City performs existing and upcoming MS4 Permit mandated activities. Failure to perform mandated compliance activities will place the City in non-compliance of the permit, a fineable violation.
Fiscal Impact
There will be no impact to the General Fund. The cost is approved through the County Service Area 152 Assessment (Fund 155).
Attachments
Attachment 1- Agreement
Exhibit A - Proposal
Engineering