City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 24, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.F
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources Subject: Approval of Third Modification of Contract 10880 with Grace Environmental for Instrumentation Services for Water and Wastewater Facilities Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a third modification to agreement #10880 in the amount of $380,000 with Grace Environmental for instrumentation services for the Public Works Department. This would remain a five-year agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $1,005,000, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica’s Water Resources Division is charged with providing a safe, reliable water supply to Santa Monica’s 93,000 residents and 2,741 commercial and institutional customers, along with treating and disposing of the community’s wastewater. The maintenance of 13 sites including the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, Charnock Treatment Plant, various groundwater production wells at three major well fields, the Santa Monica Urban Runoff (SMURRF) facility, the Moss Ave Pump Station (MAPS), and the Pico-Kenter Outfall is vital to ensuring reliable service. A component of the critical and necessary maintenance of these sites is the installation, calibration, and preventative maintenance of various flow measurement instrumentation used to record accurate data and ensure the greatest percentage of yield of potable and non-potable water from the treatment process. It was originally estimated that annual maintenance costs would average around $125,000 per year for a total of $625,000 over a five-year 2 of 4
period. An increase from the original estimate is required due to unexpected repairs to instrumentation along with unexpected rising costs due to supply chain shortages. Staff is requesting a third modification to agreement #10880 with Grace Environmental in the amount of $380,000 to provide installation, calibration, and maintenance services for various flow measurement devices used in production, treatment, and distribution of potable water and non-potable water. This would remain a five-year amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $1,005,000, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Discussion
The data obtained from various instrumentation, including flow measurement, at the Charnock Treatment Plant and Arcadia Water Treatment Plant must be accurate as the data assists operations staff to optimize treatment processes and produce the highest yield of potable water from raw groundwater pumped from over ten groundwater production wells and treated through the City’s multi-barrier treatment system to produce safe, high-quality drinking water for the community. The data collected from these instruments at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant is also reported to state and county regulatory agencies to ensure continued compliance. The instrumentation used at SMURRF, similar to the potable treatment process at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, allows staff to treat stormwater and urban runoff for non-potable uses in the city.
The Moss Avenue Pump Station and Pico-Kenter Lift Station require accurate discharge data collected through flow metering instruments, which staff provides to state and county agencies for billing and regulatory compliance purposes.
In order to ensure the accuracy of the instrumentation, the City Council authorized staff in July of 2019 to enter into a contract with Grace Environmental to provide calibration and maintenance services. Rising costs of parts due to supply chain shortages have increased expenditures to repair and maintain the instrumentation at the various sites for production, treatment, and distribution of potable water and non-potable water. A third modification is requested to increase the original compensation to continue this work for the duration of the contract.
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Environmental Review
The revised contract for installation, calibration, and maintenance services for flow measurement instruments is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15301 exempts Class 1 projects consisting of the "operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination." The revised contract would provide for maintenance of the City’s water facilities, and therefore, is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
07/23/2019 (Attachment A) Original bid and award of agreement with vendor for instrumentation services
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Water and Wastewater Fund to increase the amount of Contract #10880 (CCS) with Grace Environmental for instrumentation services at various City facilities.
Contract Modification Request
Contract
#
Current
Authorized
Amount
FY 2023/24
Modified
Request Amount
Future
Years
Amount
Department
Account #
Total Revised
Contract
Amount
10880
$550,000 $167,200 $167,200 50500001.550010 $884,400
$37,500 $11,400 $11,400 51500001.529420 $60,300
$37,500 $11,400 $11,400 51500001.529450 $60,300
$625,000 $190,000 $190,000 Total $1,005,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. 4 of 4
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. July 23, 2019 Staff Report
B. Oaks Initiative Form - Grace Environmental
C. Original Contract - CT 10880 Grace Environmental