CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 20 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 72-4671 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: June 16, 2025
SUBJECT:
Wastewater Treatment Plant Chemicals — Purchase Contracts Award RECOMMENDATION:
Award purchase contracts of chemical supplies necessary for Wastewater Treatment Plant operations to the following chemical suppliers: 1) Univar Solutions USA LLC to supply sodium hypochlorite in the amount of $1,455,820.00; sodium bisulfite in the amount of $285,134.63; sodium hydroxide in the amount of $457,985.51; and citric acid in the amount of $55,689.50; 2) Pencco, Inc. to supply ferric chloride in the amount of $496,272.38; and authorize the Public Works Director to execute the contracts in substantially the form presented.
BACKGROUND:
The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) uses chemicals to treat wastewater in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The five chemicals addressed in this report are sodium hypochlorite, sodium bisulfite, sodium hydroxide, citric acid, and ferric chloride. The City is a member of the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies’ (BACWA) Bay Area Chemical Consortium (BACC), which conducts a competitive bidding process for its member agencies annually.
In past years, the BACC competitive bidding process resulted in several chemical suppliers being identified as the lowest responsive bidders. This year, the bidding process resulted in Univar Solutions USA LLC (Univar) as the lowest responsive bidder for four of the five chemicals, which include sodium hypochlorite, sodium bisulfite, sodium hydroxide, and citric acid. For the fifth chemical, ferric chloride, Pennco, Inc. was determined to be the lowest responsive bidder. The paragraphs below describe the chemical uses, bidding results, and staff recommended contractor and contract amounts.
The terms of all contracts are 12 months, and the prices are firm for the entire period.
Sodium Hypochlorite
The WWTP utilizes sodium hypochlorite as an oxidizing agent in the disinfection process. Disinfection is a requirement of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This contract is to supply and deliver 400,000 gallons of this product. The BACC bid result for sodium hypochlorite is summarized below:
Contractor Bid Amount (per gallon) Contract Amount Recommendation Univar Solutions USA LLC. $3.32 + 9.625% Tax $1,455,820.00 Staff recommended Olin Corporation $3.35 + 9.625% Tax $1,468,975.00
Sodium Bisulfite
The WWTP utilizes sodium bisulfite as a reducing agent in the dechlorination process prior to discharging effluent to the San Francisco Bay. The dechlorination process is a requirement of the NPDES permit. This contract is to supply and deliver 180,000 gallons of this product. The BACC bid result for sodium bisulfite is summarized below:
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Contractor Bid Amount (per gallon) Contract Amount Recommendation Univar Solutions USA LLC. $1.445 + 9.625% Tax $285,134.63 Staff recommended Thatcher Company of California, Inc. $2.090 + 9.625% Tax $412,409.25 Sodium Hydroxide
The WWTP utilizes sodium hydroxide to adjust the alkalinity of wastewater in biological nutrient removal and for pH adjustment in the BioActiflo process. This contract provides for supply and delivery of 450 dry tons of this product. The BACC bid result for sodium hydroxide is summarized below:
Contractor Bid Amount (per dry ton) Contract Amount Recommendation Univar Solutions USA LLC. $850.78 + 9.625% Tax $457,985.51 Staff recommended Brenntag Pacific, Inc. $859.92 + 9.625% Tax $462,905.69 Citric Acid
The WWTP utilizes citric acid as a cleaning agent for membrane fouling in the membrane bioreactor process. This contract provides for supply and delivery of 8,000 gallons of this product. The BACC bid result for citric acid is summarized below:
Contractor Bid Amount (per gallon) Contract Amount Recommendation Univar Solutions USA LLC. $6.35 + 9.625% Tax $55,689.50 Staff recommended Northstar Chemical dba Pacific Star
Chemical
$6.50 + 9.625% Tax $57,005.00
Brenntag Pacific, Inc. $8.70 + 9.625% Tax $76,299.00
CHEMRITE, Incorporated $10.01 + 9.625% Tax $87,787.70
Ferric Chloride
The WWTP utilizes ferric chloride for the control of hydrogen sulfide, a flammable gas produced in the anaerobic digestion process. Managing the sulfur content of combusted digester gas is a requirement of the Bay Area Air District permit. This contract includes the supply and delivery of an estimated 300 dry tons of product. The BACC bid result for ferric chloride is summarized below:
Contractor Bid Amount (per dry ton) Contract Amount Recommendation Pencco, Inc. $1,509 + 9.625% Tax $496,272.38 Staff recommended Kemira Water Solutions, Inc. $1,548 + 9.625% Tax $509,098.50 Summary
Contractor Chemical Contract Amount
Sodium Hypochlorite $1,455,820.00
Sodium Bisulfite $285,134.63
Sodium Hydroxide $457,985.51Univar Solution USA LLC
Citric Acid $55,689.50
Pennco, Inc. Ferric Chloride $496,272.38
TOTALS $2,750,902.02
BUDGET IMPACT:
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Funding for the supply of chemicals is budgeted annually in the WWTP operating budget. Due to existing fluctuations in chemical needs, which can be weather dependent, as well as the unknown impact on chemical usage with the addition of the new WWTP facility, the quantity of each chemical has been estimated on the high end of the total potential needs anticipated by the designers of the new facility. Staff will monitor chemical usage under these contracts and funding availability and return to Council as needed if additional funding is needed exceeding the available budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
The purchase of various chemicals to enable the treatment of wastewater at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is a continuing maintenance activity involving the purchase of supplies. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Univar Purchase Contract for Sodium Hypochlorite Att 2 – BACWA-BACC-Award-Letter-13-2025-Univar
Att 3 – Univar Purchase Contract for Sodium Bisulfite
Att 4 – BACWA-BACC-Award-Letter-11-2025-Univar
Att 5 – Univar Purchase Contract for Sodium Hydroxide
Att 6 - BACWA-BACC-Award-Letter-12-2025-Univar
Att 7 – Univar Purchase Contract for Citric Acid
Att 8 – BACWA-BACC-Award-Letter-05-2025-Univar
Att 9 – Pencco Purchase Contract for Ferric Chloride
Att 10 – BACWA-BACC-Award-Letter-06-2025-Pencco
STAFF CONTACT
Robert Learmonth, Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager
[email protected]
650-522-7386
Robert Knox, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Superintendent [email protected]
650-522-7376