Agenda Item: 10
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: July 11, 2023
SUBJECT: MODIFICATION OF MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH LOS
ANGELES COUNTY AND MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS WITH
LARRY WALKER ASSOCIATES AND TETRA TECH INC
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Darin Seegmiller
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Amend Memorandum of Agreement with Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District.
2. Amend the existing contract with Larry Walker Associates to increase scope of work due to increased National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit requirements and authorize an expenditure authority increase in the amount of $15,000 for a total contract amount not to exceed $642,594.
3. Amend the existing contract with Tetra Tech Inc. to increase the scope of work due to the increased National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit requirements and implement the Comprehensive Human Waste Source Reduction Strategy, and authorize an expenditure authority increase in the amount of $401,996 for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,312,991.
4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
On October 13, 2020, the City Council approved a five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), and cost sharing between the City of Santa Clarita (City), Los Angeles County (County), and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (Flood Control District) to develop and implement the Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP) and Enhanced
Watershed Management Plan/Watershed Management Program (EWMP/WMP). These documents are required for compliance with the Municipal Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES Permit).
After a competitive process, the City Council awarded two, three-year contracts with up to two one-year extensions on June 22, 2021. One contract is for water quality monitoring to Tetra Tech Inc. (Tetra Tech) in the amount of $910,993. The second contract is for NPDES Permit compliance and reporting to Larry Walker Associates in an amount of $627,594. Although the City administers the contracts related to this program, it is only responsible for 39 percent of the associated costs. The remaining 61 percent is the responsibility of Los Angeles County.
This item for City Council consideration is a request to amend the existing MOA between the City, County, and Flood Control District, in addition to the related contracts with Tetra Tech and Larry Walker Associates.
Larry Walker Associates
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board approved a new NPDES Permit that became effective on September 11, 2021. This new version of the NPDES Permit doubled the reporting requirements that are the subject of the MOA. The requirement to increase reporting was not known prior to approval of the current MOA. These changes doubled reporting frequency and increased data collection and analyses that are performed with the Larry Walker Associates contract. A proposal from Larry Walker Associates for the increased scope is attached.
Tetra Tech
The new version of the NPDES Permit also required new monitoring obligations and changed the way water quality monitoring is used to determine compliance. These changes have resulted in more stringent reporting, water quality requirements, and source investigations. The changes require increased water quality investigations that are performed with the Tetra Tech contract.
The City and County have made considerable progress in dry weather water quality from the storm drain system. However, there have been difficulties in addressing intermittent, dry-weather sources of bacteria. In order to address this concern, the new NPDES Permit requires a revised approach, focused on targeted and aggressive source identification and removal of dry weather flows. This approach requires amending the Tetra Tech contract to include a Comprehensive Human Waste Source Reduction Strategy (CHWSRS).
The CHWSRS is a study and abatement program to identify high risk human sources of bacteria and abate them if found. This effort will start with assessing the drainage area to MTD 1510 (drainage map attached) to identify and abate human sources of contamination that pose the greatest risk to water quality. It will be important to investigate additional drainage areas as a result of the more stringent bacteria requirements. Examples of abatement actions that could be identified and implemented through the CHWSRS may include enforcement or removal of leaking septic tanks; repair or replacement of leaking sewer pipes by the Sewer Maintenance District; or addressing encampments of persons experiencing homelessness near the monitoring
station. A proposal from Tetra Tech for the increased scope is attached.
Staff proposes to amend the Tetra Tech contract to implement CHWSRS, the Larry Walker Associates contract to address reporting and data collection, and MOA amendments to address these issues.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
With the requested amendments referenced in the recommended action, there will be adequate funds in the existing budget appropriations.
ATTACHMENTS
MTD 1510 Drainage Map
Tetra Tech CHWSRS SOW Amendment
LWA SOW Amendment
USCR MOA Amendment, TSO and Scope (available in the City Clerk's Reading File) USCR MOA Amendment, TSO and Scope- Redline (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)