TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:September 23, 2025
SUBJECT: Rolling Oaks Drive Emergency Water Interconnect Project (CI 5514)
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Task Order No. 1 with MKN & Associates, Inc. (Ventura, CA) for engineering design and bid support services for the Rolling Oaks Drive Emergency Water Interconnect Project (CI 5514), in an amount of $102,942, plus extra services of $4,000, for a not-to-exceed amount of $106,942.
2. Authorize expense in the amount of $111,942 ($102,942 Agreement, plus extra services of $4,000, and $5,000 City Furnished Materials and Supplies), as follows:
$36,000 from A/C #612-8030-682-8300 (Water Capital Fund – Improvement other than Buildings, CI 5514) and $75,942 from A/C #613-8030-682-8300 (Water Fund – Improvements other than Buildings, CI 5514).
3. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. $90,000 in carryover budget is available in FY 2025-26 Water Capital Fund Budget and $345,000 is included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 Water Fund Budget for a total available budget of $435,000 for CI 5514. Total project cost is estimated at $409,942 with California American Water Company (Cal-Am) reimbursing 50 percent of the total costs, pending finalization of the cost-sharing amendment.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s water distribution system serves more than 17,000 metered water connections and provides water service to over 50,000 residents throughout Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. The system consists of 16 pump stations, 16
Rolling Oaks Drive Emergency Water Interconnect Project (CI 5514) September 23, 2025
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water storage reservoirs with a total capacity of 35.5 million gallons, approximately 230 miles of water main pipelines, and 11 turnout connections with the Calleguas Municipal Water District. Additionally, the City owns and operates five water interconnects with other water providers.
The City’s Water Master Plan identified several beneficial emergency water interconnection opportunities between the City water system and other adjacent water providers within the City. The purpose of the emergency water interconnections is to create enhanced stability and higher reliability of the overall citywide water network in the event of a water system emergency. To date, a total of five emergency interconnections have been constructed citywide that include three interconnections with Cal-Am and two interconnections with California Water Company.
On September 12, 2017, a Reimbursement Agreement for an emergency water interconnect between the City and Cal-Am at the intersection of Moorpark Road and Gainsborough Road was approved by City Council. Subsequently, on June 23, 2020, City Council approved Amendment No. 1 to the Reimbursement Agreement to include two additional interconnect locations at Avenida De Los Arboles and Atlas Avenue, and Adrian Street and Regal Avenue. The interconnect facilities at all three of those locations have been constructed and put into operation, and the City received 50 percent cost-sharing from Cal-Am.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed project is the final interconnect project which will provide emergency interconnection between the City’s water system and Cal-Am’s water system and will be located on Rolling Oaks Drive (Attachment #1). Staff will be preparing Amendment No. 2 to the Reimbursement Agreement, for City Council approval in Spring of 2026, to include the Rolling Oaks Drive interconnect location and formalize the 50 percent cost-sharing agreement between the City and Cal-Am for this location.
The services of a professional engineering firm with experience in water and civil engineering are required to develop the plans and specifications for this project. Unlike the low bid requirements of the Public Contract Code, contracts for professional, management, general or special services should only be awarded to firms or persons who have demonstrated an adequate level of experience, competence, training, credentials, resources, staffing, and other professional qualifications necessary for more than a satisfactory performance of the services solicited. The award of a Professional Services Agreement is based upon a variety of factors that demonstrate best value to the City for the solicited scope of Rolling Oaks Drive Emergency Water Interconnect Project (CI 5514) September 23, 2025
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service. The cost of the service may be considered as one of those factors; however, the lowest cost is not the sole factor in deciding who will be awarded the contract.
In accordance with Government Code section 4526 and Thousand Oaks Municipal Code section 3-10.401, on July 30, 2025, staff solicited proposals from 43 of the water and civil engineering firms listed under the City’s approved On-Call Consultants list, anticipating the work could be completed under the threshold of a task order (less than $125,000). On August 13, 2025, the City received 13 proposals.
After careful review and consideration of qualifications, past relevant experience, and the proposed level of effort (hours dedicated to the project), MKN & Associates, Inc. (MKN) was determined to best meet the City’s needs for this project. A detailed scope of work and consulting fees have been negotiated and finalized with MKN. Staff recommend that City Council approve Task Order No. 1 under the On-Call Professional Services Agreement with MKN (Attachment #2) for design and bid support services (Phase I). MKN has successfully performed similar work for the City in the past.
Upon successful completion of Phase I, staff will return to City Council for authorization to advertise the project for construction bids, and subsequently, authorization to award the construction contract and amend MKN’s task order to provide professional services for construction engineering support services (Phase II).
PRELIMINARY PROJECT COST SUMMARY
Design & Engineering (this action) $ 102,942 Design Extra Services (this action) $ 4,000 City Furnished (this action) $ 5,000
Construction Support Services (future action) $ 18,000 Construction Estimate (future action) $ 280,000 Total Costs $409,942
Total project cost will be provided by the available project Capital Budget, as included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 Capital Improvement Program. Cal-Am will reimburse 50 percent of the total final costs.
ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE
Design Fall 2025 – Spring 2026
Construction Summer 2026 – Winter 2027
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Community Outreach: Staff will develop and implement a public outreach plan for the project, with a particular focus on the homeowner associations adjacent to the project as well as the general public. A dedicated project website has been created at https://toaks.gov/ro-interconnect, where updated project information and public outreach will continue to be provided throughout the design and construction phases of the project. Various communication tools and strategies, including community meetings (if needed), press releases, website updates, and social media posts, will be utilized to inform the public and receive feedback.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #8, “Environmental Sustainability,” and #9, “Public Works Infrastructure Investments.” CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 CIP Program Budget)
Priority Two – Necessary, but not essential, and there could be consequences if deferred.
LEVINE ACT (California Government Code § 84308):
This item is subject to the Levine Act. City Councilmembers who have received a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) within the preceding 12 months from a party or their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; or if applicable (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $500 within 30 days from the time the official knew or should have known about the contribution, and participate in the proceeding.
All parties and their agents/representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any aggregated contribution of more than $500 made to any Councilmember within the preceding 12 months. Councilmembers are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. In addition, a party, their agent/representative, or a financially- interested participant is prohibited from contributing more than $500 (aggregated) to a Councilmember during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. The Levine Act form for MKN is included in Attachment #2.
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COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
PREPARED BY: Chandani Gunasekara, Engineering Associate Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity and Location Maps
Attachment #2 – Task Order No. 1 with MKN
DPW: 1000-30; 850-20\ev\Council\2025\092525\CI 5514\Emergency Water Interconnect Project staff report.docx