December 3, 2024
Public Works
DATE: December 3, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works
Robert Armijo, PE, Deputy Director of Public Works / City Engineer
Jeffrey Barich, PE, Senior Civil Engineer
Subject: Resolution to Award a Contract to Watearth for Operational Cost Study of Wastewater Treatment Plant,
Sewer Collections System, and Stormwater Collections
System
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed expenditure in an amount not to exceed $670,947 for the duration of the 18-month contract will be funded from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund [Account
String: 40322731-400202].
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
Not applicable.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Water Resource Recovery Division is requesting City Council to adopt a resolution approving an 18-month
contract with Watearth for a study on the operational
costs of the City’s entire wastewater and stormwater
systems.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: ADOPT a resolution to award an 18-month contract for $670,947 with Watearth beginning on December 1, 2024
and ending on May 31, 2026, for Operational Cost Study
of Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sewer Collections
System, and Stormwater Collections System – Public
Works Department (Jeffrey Barich 510-412-2009 / Robert
Armijo 510-620-5477 / Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478).
AGENDA
REPORT
December 3, 2024
DISCUSSION:
Background
The City of Richmond has a contract operator, Veolia Water, to operate and maintain the Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sewer Collections System, and Stormwater Collections System. Veolia has been the contract operator of these City facilities since 2002. Veolia’s contract with the City has been amended and/or extended five times.
The long-term operating contract is set to end in May 2027.
The City wants to evaluate the options for these services moving forward once Veolia’s contract sunsets. The first step of this evaluation is to do an operational study of the system to determine the true and real cost to operate. Once this has been determined, the next steps would be to recommend a preferred alternative on how to move forward with the City’s facilities. This could include one or a combination of the following: (a) entering into a new contract with a private company operator, (b) entering into a new contract with a public-sector operator, or (c) increasing City staff and taking over the operations and maintenance in-house.
Analysis
In relation to the above, the Water Resource Division of Public Works released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on July 3, 2024, to solicit firms to do the feasibility study and evaluation of the wastewater and stormwater systems. On July 31, 2024, one proposal (and fees/cost) was received from Watearth. City staff thoroughly evaluated this proposal and conducted an interview with the firm on October 10, 2024.
Watearth was found to be an experienced firm capable of conducting the study of the City’s wastewater/stormwater systems. Watearth has performed similar analyses and studies for previous clients and can provide the City with an unbiased and informative evaluation of the systems and a recommendation on how the City should move forward once the long-term operational contract with Veolia sunsets in 2027.
Conclusion
City staff requests that the City Council adopt the Resolution to award an 18-month contract with Watearth beginning on December 1, 2024 and ending on May 31, 2026, for an amount not to exceed $670,947 for the Operational Cost Study of Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sewer Collections System, and Stormwater Collections System.
December 3, 2024
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Contract
Attachment 3 – RFP
Attachment 4 – Watearth Proposal
Attachment 5 – Evaluation Matrix