City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JUNE 9, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR MONITORING, DATA ANALYTICS, BI-WEEKLY KPI REPORTS AND 24/7 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR SUEZ WATER ZEEWEED MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR WITH ZENON ENVIRONMENTAL CORPORATION, OF OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA THROUGH JUNE 30, 2030, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $162,389.85 ISSUE:
Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement for monitoring, data analytics, bi-weekly KPI reports and 24/7 emergency telephone technical support for SUEZ Water ZeeWeed Membrane Bioreactor with Zenon Environmental Corporation, of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, through June 30, 2030, in an amount not to exceed $162,389.85.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Zenon Environmental Corporation of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, to provide monitoring, analytics, bi-weekly KPI reports and 24/7 emergency telephone technical support for SUEZ Water ZeeWeed Membrane Bioreactor with Zenon Environmental Corporation through June 30, 2030, in an amount not to exceed $162,389.85; and Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Service Agreement with Zenon Environmental Corporation, including making any minor non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department Wastewater Division Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) is responsible for the collection and treatment of wastewater generated within the City of Riverside and the communities of Edgemont, Highgrove, Jurupa, and Rubidoux.
The RWQCP is comprised of two plants co-located on the same campus; both plants contribute to the total capacity of the facility. In 2017, RWQCP staff completed a plant-wide expansion and rehabilitation project that increased total plant capacity to 46 million gallons per day (MGD), upgraded processes to meet new lower nitrogen limitations, and converted Plant 1 to state-of-the-art Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Technology designated for Title 22 water reuse. Wastewater is reclaimed, treated, and disinfected at the RWQCP and discharged to the Santa Ana River in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations or reused for irrigation.
The RWQCP currently operates and maintains the MBR system which is comprised of reinforced hollow-fiber ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, scour aeration blowers, permeate pumps, back pulse pumps, clean in place (CIP) equipment, and associated complex instrumentation. MBR technology has proven to deliver greater quality effluent and increase efficiency, while reducing the overall lifecycle cost. The system utilizes fully automated processes to facilitate liquid -solids separation by combining biological waste oxidation with membrane separation. This integrated approach produces high-purity effluent and enhances the removal of bioaccumulative or biodegradable micro pollutants.
The hollow-fiber UF membranes are composed of a specialized technology known as ZeeWeed. The RWQCP procures all parts and services for the MBR’s ZeeWeed membrane system from Zenon Environmental Corporation which is a legal entity of Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions (Veolia WTS or VWTS). The ZeeWeed membrane system was developed by Zenon Environmental Corporation, and as owner of Zenon Environmental Corporation, Veolia WTS is the proprietor of all ZeeWeed membrane system technologies and components, as such, Veolia WTS is the sole manufacturer and provider of ZeeWeed membrane systems and its associated services and components.
A previous Service Agreement between the RWQCP and Zenon Environmental Corporation was executed on September 2, 2020, for services including Insight remote process monitoring and 24/7 emergency telephone technical support. On August 18, 2020, City Council approved the Service Agreement through June 30, 2024.
DISCUSSION
The RWQCP’s MBR system consists of a specialized ZeeWeed membrane system and its associated parts and instrumentation that must be maintained to manufacturer and warranty specifications. To ensure optimal performance, the MBR membrane system and processes are monitored by key performance indicators. Inadequate maintenance or improper operation may result in equipment malfunction, premature membrane degradation, or irreversible damage. Such failures could void manufacturer specifications and lead to noncompliance with the RWQCP’s Waste Discharge Requirements issued by the State of California.
Zenon Environmental Corporation, as Veolia WTS, provides a service team with extensive experience and the capabilities to provide technical and engineering services to ensure and maintain a high level of performance from the ZeeWeed membrane system and its components, including Insight remote process monitoring and 24/7 emergency telephone technical support. The Insight remote process monitoring gathers data that can then be translated into meaningful and actionable information to maximize performance, avoid operational interruptions, optimize processes, as well as reduce the cost of operations. A professional Veolia expert is specifically assigned to the RWQCP and staff have access to 24/7 technical support. Bi-Weekly KPI reports and 24/7 emergency telephone technical support provided by Veolia, ensures membranes are maintained to set specifications and remain available for effective and reliable use.
As described in the previous section, Veolia WTS, as owner of Zenon Environmental Corporation, is the sole manufacturer and provider of ZeeWeed membrane systems and its associated services and components.
Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 702 states that, "Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances, (c) When the Procurement can only be obtained from a sole source and the Manager is satisfied that the best price, terms and conditions for the Procurement thereof have been negotiated." The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended actions are in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 702(c).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $162,389.85. Adequate funding for fiscal year 2025/2026 is available in the Sewer Fund, Sewer Systems Treatment, Professional Services Regulatory Compliance account number 4125200 – 421043. Appropriations for future fiscal years are included in the Department’s budget submissions for those fiscal years to be presented to the City Council for approval.
Prepared by: Valerie Espinoza, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Interim Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachment: Professional Consultant Services Agreement 25-0063 Zenon Environmental Corporation ● Page 2