City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 9, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources Subject: Award RFP SP #2766 to APEX Environmental and Water Resources, LLC for Contractual Services Related to the Destruction of the Charnock Monitoring Well
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt findings of categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award RFP SP#2766 to APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC, to provide contractual services for well destruction, including permitting, drilling, project oversight, regulatory compliance, and final reporting to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board for the Public Works Department;
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $1,267,000 (including a 10% contingency) for a three-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval; and
4. Authorize budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
Since 2007, the City of Santa Monica (“City”), Department of Public Works – Water Resources Division has been implementing the Charnock Regional Groundwater Monitoring Program (“Monitoring Program”) to track methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) concentrations in the Charnock Sub-basin under the oversight of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB), in an effort to clean up the groundwater basin. Remediation of the Charnock Well Field has been ongoing since 2010, with the completion of the Charnock Treatment Plant and 2 of 6
upgrades to Arcadia Water Treatment Plant. The Charnock Well Field was restored to full production with a multi-barrier treatment system to remove MTBE and TBA from the groundwater and produce safe, high-quality drinking water. As a result of the City’s efforts in restoring the Charnock Well Field over the past decade, the City received a conditional approval from the LARWQCB for a “No Further Action” (NFA) status for the Monitoring Program in 2023. The NFA required the City to properly destroy all existing monitoring wells exclusively associated with the Program.
The Water Resources Division solicited proposals from qualified consultants to execute the Charnock Well Destruction Project (“Project”), which consists of abandoning a total of thirty-three (33) monitoring wells by means of well destruction, in accordance with conditions set forth by the LARWQCB. Staff recommends that RFP #SP2766 be awarded to APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $1,276,000 (including a 10% contingency) for contractual services consisting of well destruction/drilling services, permitting, project management and oversight, regulatory compliance and reporting, and well destruction report submission.
Discussion
The City’s primary groundwater supply at the Charnock Well Field was contaminated with gasoline additives—MTBE and TBA—which resulted in the shutdown of the well field in the 1990s. Through a settlement reached with the responsible parties, the City completed the Charnock Well Field Restoration Project in 2010, which included a new Charnock Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and upgrades to the Arcadia WTP. The new treatment facilities provided a multi-barrier treatment process to restore groundwater quality and supply the community with safe, high-quality drinking water.
To support groundwater remediation efforts at the Charnock Well Field, the City implemented a voluntary monitoring program in 2007 to track MTBE and TBA concentrations in the Charnock Sub-basin and began remediating the Sub-basin in 2010. In early 2023, the City prepared and submitted a Closure Evaluation Report for the Program to the LARWQCB, which concluded that the remaining concentrations of MTBE and TBA in the groundwater within and surrounding the Charnock Well Field 3 of 6
posed a low threat to drinking water. In August 2023, the City submitted a request to the LARWQCB, to grant a “No Further Action” (NFA) status for the program, based on the analyses and findings presented in the Closure Evaluation Report. The NFA request was conditionally approved by the LARWQCB in November 2023, provided the City locates and properly destroys all regional groundwater monitoring wells in the Monitoring Program that are not concurrently involved in additional regulatory monitoring programs (e.g., Division of Drinking Water).
The LARWQCB approved a work plan on January 7, 2025, to abandon a total of 33 monitoring wells by means of well destruction, in accordance with all regulations set forth by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) under Well Standards Bulletin 74- 81 and supplemental Bulletin 74-90. The monitoring wells are all located in the City of Los Angeles, and approvals are anticipated to be required from the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and potentially private property owners.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Firm APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC Evaluation Criteria Experience; References; Work plans/Timelines; Project Team; Cost.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC Gregg Drilling, LLC Group Delta Consultants, Inc., an NV5
Company
ICF Jones & Stokes, Inc.
Montrose Environmental Solutions, Inc. Worley
Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions
RFP Data
Date
Posted Posted On Advertised in(City Charter &SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
08/04/2
5 City’s Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 92 09/15/2025
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Justification to Award
The proposals were reviewed by an evaluation committee consisting of staff from the Public Works Department, Water Resources Division. Based on the evaluation criteria, including those outlined in SMMC 2.24.190, staff recommends APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC (APEX) as the best-qualified firm to execute the Charnock Well Destruction Project. APEX was selected as the best-qualified consultant based on its comprehensive experience conducting well destruction in similar size and scope located in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, and Orange County—areas where other proposers lacked experience in this specific field of work. Their work experience was verified through reference checks, which confirmed that APEX has a strong understanding of local and state regulations, including those established by the Department of Water Resources and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. The proposed project team has managed other similar well destruction projects throughout Southern California. APEX provided a more thorough work plan than any other proposer, specifically outlining how they planned to address approval requirements in the City of Los Angeles. Their cost proposal was detailed and thorough, which provides confidence that the project would be completed on time and within budget.
Environmental Review
The contract for abandonment of the wells categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Section 15301 exempts “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 existing or former use.” Section 15304 exempts minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes. This includes filling of earth into previously excavated land with material compatible with the natural features of the site. The proposed work involves decommissioning and abandoning the existing monitoring well in place by filling 5 of 6
it in and sealing it from the surface to protect the groundwater basin. Therefore, the abandonment of wells is categorically exempt as set forth in Section 15301 and Section 15304 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment (requires 5 votes):
FY 2025-26 CIP Budget Amendment
Release Funds Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
C5007740.689740
Arcadia Capacity
Expansion
$1,276,000 C5009210.689740
Charnock MW Destruction
$1,276,000
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Water Bond Funds to award a contract to APEX Environmental & Water Resources, LLC to provide contractual services for well destruction.
Contract Request
FY 2025-2026
Request Amount CIP Account # Total Contract Amount
$1,276,000 C5009210.689740
Charnock MW Destruction $1,276,000
Total $1,276,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. 6 of 6
Prepared By: Monica Tejeda, Civil Engineering Assistant Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. FY 25-26 Oaks Initiative (APEX Environmental & Water Resources LLC) B. FY 25-26 Levine Act (APEX Environmental & Water Resources LLC)