July 2, 2024
Public Works
DATE: July 2, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works
Robert Armijo, PE, Deputy Director Public Works/City
Engineer
Jeffrey Barich, PE, Senior Civil Engineer
Subject: Resolution Approving Emergency Contract with Veolia for the Sludge Thickener Project at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The $13,000,000 project cost is included in the budget and is to be paid from Wastewater Enterprise Fund
40322931-400708-01M10.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Staff is recommending City Council adopt a resolution
authorizing the emergency justification for the Sludge
Thickener project located at the Richmond Wastewater
Treatment Plant. This project is being managed by
Veolia, with the construction subcontract awarded to
Myers and Sons Construction Company, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: ADOPT a resolution approving the emergency justification contract for the Sludge Thickener Project located at the Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant in
an amount not to exceed $13,000,000 (construction cost
plus 15.25% contingency) – Water Resource Recovery
(Robert Armijo 510-620-5477 / Jeffrey Barich 510-412-
2009)
AGENDA
REPORT
July 2, 2024
DISCUSSION:
The Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges wastewater under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit #CA0038539. This permit has regulatory requirements for discharge of wastewater to the San Francisco Bay in addition to the treatment and proper disposal of biosolids (also known as “sludge”).
The City of Richmond (City) currently pumps digested sludge (biosolids) to the West County Wastewater District (WCWD) Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) for dewatering and disposal. WCWD has informed the City they will not accept biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) as of December 31, 2024. The City will need to implement biosolids dewatering facilities at the WWTP site. The City will be responsible for the use and/or disposal of the biosolids and for compliance relating to biosolids treatment and disposal.
The purpose of the Richmond WWTP Sludge Thickener Project is to remove and replace the aging and unreliable dissolved air flotation thickener (DAFT) with efficient, reliable sludge thickener facilities compatible with the WWTP's current and future treatment processes.
As reported in both the 2010 WWTP Richmond Master Plan and 2016 Facility Plan Update, the DAFT was constructed in 1967 and has reached the end of its useful life and should be replaced. In 2010, it was identified as needing replacement within five (5) years. In recent years, the DAFT has become increasingly unreliable and has been taken out of service for emergency repairs on several occasions which were costly. The DAFT underwent extensive repairs recently and was out of service for several months.
Additionally, the other unit (DAFT II) was demolished per the Critical Improvements project specifications so there is no redundancy. Therefore, this project is essential to the success of the treatment plant process.
The project was competitively bid in 2021 as a design-build project with the expectation that the selected design-build entity (DBE) would perform both phases – design and construction. Two (2) proposals were received, Myers and Sons (along with design engineers Lee & Ro), and Overaa Construction.
After a detailed review by Joe Leach, (then Public Works Director), Yader Bermudez (then City Engineer), and Ben Kellman (City Consultant – Mack5), it was determined that Myers and Sons was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. The City sent a
July 2, 2024
letter to Veolia outlining the review process regarding the decision to select Myers and Sons (Attachment 3).
The design for the project was completed in June 2023. Since this project is “design- build,” the same contractor is used for both design and construction of the project.
Construction was to begin in July 2023. To “lock in” the price for the construction supplies, the City signed a Task Authorization with Veolia approving the work to proceed with Myers and Sons to begin construction on the Sludge Thickener project.
Construction began in September 2023 and is estimated to be completed by December 2024. High workloads and limited staffing have delayed bringing the emergency justification for this item to the City Council until now.
Therefore, staff is requesting City Council adopt the resolution approving the emergency justification for the Sludge Thickener Project (Attachments 1 and 2).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Emergency Justification
Attachment 3 – Staff letter justifying contractor selection