To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Kevin Booker (707) 521-1865
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
Amendment to the Agreement for Funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone and Town of Windsor
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute the First Amended and Restated Agreement for Funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Sonoma County Water Agency and Town of Windsor, in substantially the form as the draft presented to this Board. The amended agreement increases the amount by $1,300,000, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $2,800,000, and no change to end date of June 30, 2026.
B) Adopt a Resolution Of The Board Of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency Authorizing Adjustments to the Board Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup Sanitation Zone Construction Fund in the amount of $1,300,000 for the First Amended and Restated Agreement for Funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Sonoma County Water Agency and Town of Windsor.
(4/5th Vote Required)(Fourth District)
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Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) and the Windsor Water District have been working together to transfer wastewater treatment from Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone (Zone) to Windsor Water District. Zone’s Wastewater Treatment Facility (Zone’s Treatment Plant) is approaching the end of its operational lifetime while Town of Windsor’s Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) has enough capacity to treat flows from Zone. The permanent Wastewater Intertie Pipeline (Project) will provide continuous conveyance of wastewater from Zone’s Treatment Plant to Windsor Water District. Sonoma Water is funding the construction of the Project. This item seeks authorization for an amended agreement to provide additional funding to Town of Windsor (Town) for construction of the project in the amount of $1,300,000, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $2,800,000, to implement Project.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Sonoma Water and Windsor Water District have been working together to transfer wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal operations of Zone to Windsor Water District. Windsor Water District is a dependent special district, with the authority to provide water and wastewater services. The Windsor Water District is operated and managed by the Town of Windsor. Additionally, the Windsor Water District boundaries are larger than Town of Windsor’s boundaries.
Zone’s Treatment Plant is approaching the end of its operational lifetime and would require substantial financial investment to extend its operational life while Windsor Water District’s WRF has enough excess rated capacity to fully treat all wastewater flows and loadings from Zone.
Windsor Water District and Sonoma Water have cooperated to transfer, store, and dispose of treated wastewater on a mutual-aid basis for many years, including in accordance with the Agreement Regarding the Ownership, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of Wastewater Facilities to Permit the Transfer, Storage, and Disposal of Treated Wastewater on a Mutual-Aid Basis and Agreement Regarding the Transfer and Use of Recycled Water (“Prior Agreements”). Transfers between Windsor Water District and Sonoma Water are recognized and regulated by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Waste Discharge Requirements Order R1-2020-0010.
In October 2023, Town awarded a contract for the design of Project. The design included a sewer intertie to facilitate sending wastewater from Zone to Windsor Water District. The portions of the Project that are located within the boundaries of Zone will be owned and operated by Zone. Beyond the boundaries of Zone, Windsor Water District will retain or acquire ownership and operate and maintain those portions of Project in perpetuity.
Sonoma Water and Town entered into an agreement for Funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone and Town of Windsor (Funding Agreement), dated June 12, 2024, in the amount of $1,500,000. The construction contract amount awarded by Windsor Water District was, however, much higher than the engineer’s estimate and several change orders occurred during construction, including a) reconfiguration (extending sewer connection approximately 50 more feet) to allow continued use and separation of the parallel recycled water line for added operational flexibility, and b) utility (water line) crossings. The increase in the cost awarded, in addition to the change orders, raised the Zone’s cost for the Project to $2,800,000. The Town and Sonoma Water met to discuss the increase in cost between the engineering estimate and the lowest bid. Additionally, staff from both agencies discussed changes that would reconfigure the pipeline alignment and include appurtenances to provide greater operational flexibility. Sonoma Water approved the additional cost increase and change orders. These changes will enable the Town and Sonoma Water to transfer wastewater more efficiently. These changes necessitated this amendment to the Funding Agreement to reflect this amount. This amendment also includes modification to the excess cost provisions of the Funding Agreement to reflect the Zone’s and Town’s original intent that the Zone’s contribution will include full funding of the construction contract amount.
The additional cost is $1,300,000, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $2,800,000. There is no change to end date of June 30, 2026.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the amended agreement, Town is responsible for all aspects of the construction of the Project, including, but not limited to design, bidding, and administering and inspecting construction.
This amended agreement is necessary to allow the Zone to continuously convey wastewater from Zone’s Treatment Plant facilities to the Windsor Water District wastewater facilities. Through this continued transfer, the Zone will be able to forgo substantial financial investment to extend the Zone’s wastewater facilities operational life while Windsor Water District’s WRF has enough excess rated capacity to fully treat all wastewater flows and loadings from the Zone.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
The General Manager determined that execution of the agreement for funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone and Town of Windsor is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21080.21. A Notice of Exemption was posted with the State Clearinghouse and Sonoma County Clerk on June 20, 2024. The amended agreement will not result in any significant adverse effect on the environment.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
Goal: Planning and Infrastructure
Strategy: Fund and implement the planned capital and maintenance projects on schedule to ensure reliable services.
Action: Capital Improvement Program budgets to meet infrastructure needs.
The implementation of this amended agreement will allow new infrastructure to be built, which will ensure continued wastewater operations for Zone customers.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
06/04/2024: Approved agreement between Sonoma Water and Town for funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone and Town of Windsor. Cost $1,500,000; term end June 30, 2026.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$1,300,000 |
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Total Expenditures |
$1,300,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
$1,300,000 |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$1,300,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Additional appropriations are required to process this expense. With Board approval of the attached budgetary resolution, FY 2024/2025 appropriations of $1,300,000 will be made in the Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup Sanitation Zone Construction Fund.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: First Amended and Restated Agreement for Funding of Wastewater Intertie Pipeline Construction between Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup Sanitation Zone and Town of Windsor
Attachment 2: Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.