City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 8, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.F
1 of 4
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Christopher Dishlip, Director of Public Works, Water Resources Division Subject: Award RFP #2026-RFP-00020 to Brown and Caldwell for the Evaluation of Water Treatment Facilities Local Discharge Limits and Preparation of a Local Limits Study for the Water Resources Division
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of statutory exemption pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15306 (Information Gathering) of the CEQA Guidelines, and a finding of no possibility of significant effects pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines;
2. Award RFP # 2026-RFP-00020 to Brown and Caldwell for the evaluation of water treatment facilities, local discharge limits, and preparation of a local limits study for the Public Works Department; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Brown and Caldwell in an amount not to exceed $360,000, over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica (City) has expanded its recycled water program to reduce its reliance on imported water supplies, create a local drought-resilient source of highquality water, and improve water quality in Santa Monica Bay with the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP). With the recent expansion, the City now needs to develop its own local limits to enhance its source protection program and support the City’s potable reuse program. Following a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) process, staff recommends Brown and Caldwell as the best and only bidder for a contract in an amount not to exceed $360,000 (including 10% contingency), over a five-year period. 2 of 4
Discussion
SWIP produces up to 1.5 million gallons per day (mgd) of advanced treated recycled water from stormwater, dry-weather runoff, and municipal wastewater. Approximately
0.5 mgd is produced by the upgraded Santa Monica Urban Runoff and Recycling Facility (SMURRF), which treats stormwater, urban runoff, and brackish groundwater.
Stormwater and urban runoff are captured at the City’s Clean Beach Initiative (CBI) project tank and an infiltration gallery beneath the CBI tank is available to draw on brackish groundwater when needed. This treated water from SMURRF is permitted as a dilution water source under California Title 22 Groundwater Replenishment Reuse Project. All of this provides a source for non-potable uses (e.g., irrigation) and indirect potable reuse (e.g., groundwater recharge) in the City.
Historically, all of the City’s wastewater terminated at the City of Los Angeles Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant. As a result, the City’s local limits matched those of the City of Los Angeles. Due to the recently added SWIP, the City now needs to develop its own local limits to enhance its source protection program and support the City’s potable reuse program. The City’s potable reuse program currently consists of indirect potable reuse - groundwater augmentation via subsurface application (or direct injection) of advanced treated recycled water from the SWIP. The City is currently evaluating the feasibility of implementing direct potable reuse in the near future. RFP #2026-RFP00020 was issued for these services and Brown and Caldwell was selected as the best bidder to provide them.
Vendor Selection
Best and Only Bidder Brown and Caldwell
Submittals Received Selection Criteria
Bidder $360,000 Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.100(a)
Evaluation Criteria Price; Experience and Technical Competence; The Ability to Meet the Work Plan; and Value Added Services the
3 of 4
Consultant Provides.
Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On Advertised In(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
04/28/2026 City's Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 29 05/28/2026
Additional Vendor Outreach & Justification to Award
Procurement conducted additional outreach to vendors who downloaded the bid to see why they did not submit a bid. The vendor’s price, experience and technical competence, ability to meet the City’s work plan, and value-added services provided were used to determine the selection. Based on these criteria, Brown and Caldwell is recommended as the best bidder.
Environmental Review
Preparation of the Local Limits Plan is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies), categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15306 (Information Collection) of the CEQA Guidelines, and exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Section 15262 of CEQA states that a project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded is exempt from CEQA. Section 15306 of the CEQA Guidelines exempts the collection of consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. Additionally, the plan is covered by Section 15061(b)(3), which states that CEQA does not apply “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The intent of the Local Limits Plan is to enhance the City’s source protection program and support the City’s potable reuse program (e.g., groundwater recharge) by collecting wastewater quality data to complete a desktop 4 of 4
(data evaluation) analysis for developing local limits for any contaminants that may pose a risk to the City’s potable reuse program.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Wastewater Fund to award a professional services agreement with Brown and Caldwell to conduct the local limits evaluation. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Agreement Request
FY 2026-27
Request Amount
Future Years
Amount
Department Account # Total
Contract Amount
$100,000 $260,000 51500001.552010 $360,000
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Engineering Support Services Administrator Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. FY 26-27 Oaks Initiative (Brown & Caldwell)
B. FY 26-27 Levine Act (Brown and Caldwell)