Item Number: 21
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: July 21, 2026
Submitted By:
Doug Mathews, Director of Public Works and Water
Subject:
Approval of a Portable Generator Purchase
Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council/Board of Directors approve the purchase of a portable generator from Quinn Power Systems, as the authorized distributor, in the amount not to exceed $455,690.30 under Sourcewell Contract #092222-CAT.
Fiscal Impact:
This capital purchase was originally appropriated in Fiscal Year 2024/2025 and funds remain available within the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 annual capital budget under the Water Fund (Fund 410) in account Water – Supply – Portable Generator (4100500-55040- 74502) with an available balance of $478,000.
Acting in accordance with the staff recommendation will result in a fiscal impact of $455,690.30. This price includes freight, sales tax and factory start-up service. The Sourcewell discount will result in total savings of $109,336.50 off the list price for the Victorville Water District (District). Sales tax was not included in the vendor’s quote but has been calculated at the applicable rate of 7.75%, as the equipment will be delivered to the District’s D2 Warehouse, which is located in the unincorporated area of San Bernardino County.
There are sufficient funds to cover this purchase, and no additional appropriation is needed.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal E – Invest in infrastructure: Ensuring our community’s wellbeing and sustaining a healthy and livable community by investing in the necessary resources to maintain and improve the District’s water infrastructure. By approving the purchase of this portable generator, the Board of Directors (Board) will ensure the District has another vital 4 8
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resource during unplanned power outages to run critical infrastructure such as wells, booster stations, treatment facilities, or other water infrastructure. Purchasing this generator will allow staff to position it strategically as needed to enhance the District’s ability to maintain continuous, reliable water service throughout the City during extended power outages.
Background:
The District relies on 34 active groundwater production wells and four booster pump stations to provide potable water service to residents, schools, hospitals, businesses, and other critical infrastructure. These facilities operate entirely on electrical power supplied by Southern California Edison (SCE) and are therefore vulnerable to power outages and grid failures. In the event of a prolonged or widespread power outage, the District’s groundwater production wells and booster pump stations would become inoperable unless supplied by an alternate power source.
While the District maintains sufficient treated water storage to sustain normal operations during short-duration power outages, a prolonged interruption to electrical service would eventually halt groundwater production and limit the District’s ability to move water throughout the distribution system, requiring the District to rely solely on stored water supplies. As storage reservoirs serving individual pressure zones are depleted, system pressures would decline and those pressure zones could ultimately lose water service.
Such conditions could significantly impair the District’s ability to provide reliable potable water, maintain adequate fire flows, and serve residents, schools, hospitals, businesses, and other critical infrastructure.
The District’s portable generators provide the operational capability to supply temporary electrical power to strategically selected groundwater production wells and booster pump stations as conditions warrant. By deploying generators to the facilities that are most critical to system operations, the District can continue groundwater production, replenish storage reservoirs, maintain adequate pressures within affected pressure zones, and preserve water service throughout the distribution system during prolonged electrical outages. Maintaining the ability to produce, store, and distribute potable water during an extended electrical outage is therefore essential to protecting public health and safety, preserving emergency response capabilities, and ensuring the continued operation of critical community infrastructure.
To address the risk of unplanned power outages, the District has implemented a comprehensive emergency power strategy utilizing both permanent stationary standby generators and portable generators. Permanent stationary standby generators are currently installed at the following critical facilities:
•Highway 395 Booster Pump Station
•White Rd. Booster Pump Station
•Well Site 140
•Well Site 201
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In addition to these permanently equipped facilities, the District currently maintains three portable generators that can be rapidly deployed throughout the distribution system using permanent generator connection points installed at strategically selected well sites and booster pump stations. With 34 production wells and four booster pump stations distributed throughout the service area, maintaining an adequate number of portable generators provides staff with the flexibility to respond efficiently to varying outage locations and operational priorities for the duration of emergency events. These portable units allow emergency power to be rotated among multiple facilities, enabling staff to prioritize water production and distribution where it is needed most. The addition of this portable generator will increase the District’s portable generator fleet from three to four units, expanding emergency response capacity, reducing the time required to rotate emergency power among critical facilities, and improving the District’s ability to maintain water production and system operations during prolonged power outages.
Although permanent stationary standby generators are installed at strategically selected facilities, equipping every well and booster pump station with a permanent generator would not be financially practical or operationally warranted. A combination of strategically located permanent generators and portable generators provides the most effective balance between system reliability, operational flexibility, and fiscal responsibility. This approach maximizes emergency preparedness while making prudent use of District resources. District staff are already familiar with the operation and maintenance of Caterpillar generators, enabling efficient deployment, reliable operation, and streamlined maintenance during extended emergency events.
The continued acquisition of portable emergency generators is consistent with the recommendations of the District’s 2021 Water Master Plan and remains a recommended strategy in the proposed 2026 Water Master Plan. As operational needs evolve and as financially feasible, the District will continue evaluating opportunities to expand its portable generator fleet as part of its long-term emergency preparedness and system resiliency strategy. The proposed purchase of an additional portable generator represents the next step in implementing this strategy, further enhancing the District’s ability to maintain reliable water service during prolonged power outages while making prudent use of District resources.
Discussion:
Maintaining adequate water pressure and a continuous supply of potable water during emergencies is critical to protecting public health, supporting fire suppression activities, and maintaining essential services throughout the District. Portable emergency generators provide the operational flexibility to supply temporary electrical power to strategically selected groundwater production wells and booster pump stations during a variety of emergency scenarios, including earthquakes, severe weather, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, wildfires, prolonged utility outages, cyber-related disruptions to the electrical grid, and other incidents affecting the reliability of commercial power.
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The proposed Caterpillar portable generator will enhance the District’s existing emergency power program by increasing the portable generator fleet from three to four units. This additional unit will provide greater operational flexibility to respond to prolonged or widespread power outages, reduce the time required to rotate emergency power among critical facilities, and improve the District’s ability to maintain water production and distribution system operations during emergency conditions. Unlike permanently installed standby generators that serve only a single facility, portable generators can be deployed wherever they are needed most, maximizing the value of the District’s investment while providing greater operational flexibility during emergency events.
The District evaluated its operational requirements and determined that the proposed Caterpillar generator best meets its needs for generating capacity, compatibility with the existing portable generator fleet, serviceability, and long-term reliability. The District has standardized its portable emergency power program around Caterpillar equipment.
Procuring an additional Caterpillar generator ensures compatibility with the District’s existing portable generator fleet, allowing staff to utilize common operating procedures, maintenance practices, replacement parts, and diagnostic equipment. Standardizing equipment also reduces training requirements, improves operational efficiency during emergency deployments, and lowers long-term lifecycle and maintenance costs.
Quinn Power Systems is the authorized Caterpillar dealer for the District's service area and has provided reliable equipment, factory-authorized warranty support, technical service, and replacement parts for the District's existing Caterpillar generators. The Caterpillar XQ570 Diesel Towable Generator Set is covered by Caterpillar's Electric Power Generation (EPG) factory warranty, which provides coverage for defects in materials and workmanship for 24 months or 1,000 operating hours, whichever occurs first, including the repair or replacement of covered components and associated labor performed by an authorized Caterpillar dealer. As an authorized Caterpillar dealer, Quinn is qualified to perform warranty-related service and repairs using genuine Caterpillar parts, helping ensure the manufacturer's warranty remains in effect throughout the warranty period. Purchasing the generator through Sourcewell Contract No. 092222-CAT provides competitively solicited pricing, satisfies the District's procurement requirements, and ensures continued access to factory-authorized service, warranty support, and replacement parts throughout the life of the equipment.
This purchase represents another step in implementing the District’s long-term emergency preparedness and system resiliency strategy. Expanding the portable generator fleet enhances the District’s ability to maintain reliable potable water service, preserve system pressures, support fire protection during prolonged power outages, and make prudent use of District resources.
Accordingly, staff recommends that the Board award a purchase agreement to Quinn Power Systems, as the authorized Caterpillar distributor, in an amount not to exceed $455,690.30 for the purchase of one portable generator under Sourcewell Contract No. 092222-CAT.
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Staff is available to answer any questions the Board may have.
Prepared By:
Marc Betts, SCADA/Elec/OT Superintendent
Mel Krejckant, Public Works & Water Administrative Manager Attachments: A. Quinn Power Quote
B. Caterpillar Sourcewell Contract
C. Caterpillar XQ570 Specifications