City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 23, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.E
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Christopher Dishlip, Director of Public Works, Water Resources Division Subject: Approval of Modification to the Purchase Order with Univar Solutions USA, Inc. for Sodium Hypochlorite
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines; and
2. Authorize the Procurement Manager to increase purchasing authority in the amount of $455,000 with Univar Solutions USA, Inc. for sodium hypochlorite for the Public Works Department. This would result in a revised purchasing authority total not to exceed $1,030,000, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica (City), Department of Public Works – Water Resources Division operates and maintains a suite of advanced water treatment processes to produce local water supplies that meet the community’s needs. This includes a multibarrier treatment process through the Charnock Water Treatment Plant and the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, which provide high-quality, safe, and reliable drinking water for the community, as well as the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), which produces advanced treated recycled water for groundwater recharge. The treatment processes at the Charnock Treatment Plant, Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, and SWIP all use sodium hypochlorite to support filtration and disinfection processes. The original award to Univar Solutions USA (Univar) Inc. was for an amount not to exceed $575,000 over five years as a backup vendor for sodium hypochlorite. However, due to chemical quality concerns with the original primary supplier, staff have been using Univar as the 2 of 4
primary supplier. Staff recommends increasing the approved spending authority by an amount not to exceed $455,000, for a new total amount not to exceed $1,030,000.
Discussion
The City uses a multi-barrier water treatment process at the Charnock Treatment Plant and the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant to provide safe, high-quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards. Sodium hypochlorite (purchased at 12.5% concentration), a liquid chlorine solution commonly used in water treatment, supports several treatment processes at both facilities.
At the Charnock Treatment Plant, treatment processes include greensand filtration, biological granular activated carbon filtration, and final disinfection. Sodium hypochlorite is used to help remove naturally occurring iron and manganese and to disinfect the water before it enters the distribution system. The facility is expected to receive approximately 11 deliveries of sodium hypochlorite annually, with each delivery consisting of about 5,000 gallons.
At the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, treatment processes include greensand filtration, reverse osmosis, decarbonation towers (air stripping), and final disinfection. Sodium hypochlorite is used to support iron and manganese removal, protect reverse osmosis membranes, and disinfect treated water before distribution to customers. The facility is expected to receive approximately 18 deliveries annually, with each delivery consisting of about 5,000 gallons.
The City is also expanding recycled water production through the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), which is intended to diversify local water supplies and improve drought resiliency. The SWIP Advanced Water Treatment Facility uses a multibarrier advanced treatment process to produce highly treated recycled water for nonpotable uses, such as irrigation and toilet flushing, and to help replenish local groundwater supplies. Sodium hypochlorite is used at the facility to clean microfiltration filters, protect reverse osmosis membranes, support advanced oxidation treatment, and 3 of 4
disinfect the final treated water. The facility is expected to receive approximately 21 deliveries annually, with each delivery consisting of about 2,000 gallons.
Staff experienced quality issues with the original primary vendor that was an awardee of RFB #4431 to supply sodium hypochlorite to the City. The quality issue from the supplier resulted in a notification level exceedance for chlorate at one of the City’s water storage reservoirs, and the reservoir was taken offline immediately to resolve the issue.
This incident was not a violation of drinking water regulations; but out of an abundance of caution, staff switched to the backup vendor (Univar) and have not had any quality issues since.
Environmental Review
The purchase order for sodium hypochlorite is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) 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.” The purchase order would allow for the continuance of dayto-day water operations at existing water treatment facilities and would not expand or materially change existing facilities or operations. Therefore, the purchase order is categorically exempt as set forth in Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
10/25/22 Original bid and award with Univar Solutions USA for sodium hypochlorite
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Water Fund to increase the 4 of 4
amount of the purchase order with Univar to provide sodium hypochlorite. Funds are included in the FY 2026-27 Proposed Operating Budget. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Purchase Authority Modification Request
Current
Authorized
Amount
FY 26/27 Request
Amount Account #
Total Revised
Purchase Order
Amount
$0 $227,500 50500002.525081 $227,500
$0 $227,500 50500003.525081 $227,500
$575,000 $0 51500001.525085 $575,000
$575,000 $455,000 Total $1,030,000
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Engineering Support Services Administrator Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oct 25, 2022 Staff Report (web link)
B. FY 25-26 Oaks Initiative (Univar)
C. FY 25-26 Levine Act (Univar)