To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: George Lincoln 707-521-1808
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
Biosolids Removal and Related Services
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute the Second Amended and Restated Agreement for Biosolids Removal and Related Services with Synagro-WWT, Inc., in substantially the form as the draft presented to this Board. The amended agreement increases the amount by $414,000 and expands the scope of work to include additional biosolids removal in 2024, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $2,199,000 and no change to end date of June 30, 2025.
(Fourth District)
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Executive Summary:
This item requests approval to enter into an amended agreement with Synagro-WWT, Inc. (Service Provider) to include budget for additional biosolids removal and disposal from the biological treatment ponds at the Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone treatment plant (Airport Treatment Plant), owned by Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water). Airport Treatment Plant’s wastewater treatment process does not include continual biosolids removal and therefore requires periodic biosolids removal to ensure the biological processes function efficiently. The removal process involves multiple steps and coordinated planning to ensure the Airport Treatment Plant continues to meet regulatory requirements during the maintenance procedure.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
The Airport Treatment Plant biological treatment ponds require ongoing maintenance for the facility to operate in compliance with its Regional Water Quality Control Board-issued Waste Discharge permit and other requirements.
The removal of biosolids is performed in events (Removal Event), which are completed in stages. Each Removal Event requires mobilization, demobilization, and furnishing of necessary permits, equipment, labor, and materials for removal of biosolids from Airport Treatment Plant and reuse for land application, composting, or disposal at a landfill.
The intent of each Removal Event is to remove accumulated biosolids from one or more biological treatment ponds in the minimum amount of time so that the emptied pond may be returned to service with the maximum solids storage and treatment capacity after being emptied.
Sonoma Water owns, operates, and manages Airport Treatment Plant.
Sonoma Water and Service Provider entered into an agreement for biosolids removal, dated August 10, 2020, in the amount of $1,260,000.
A first amended agreement, approved by the Board on July 12, 2022, increased the agreement amount by $525,000 for a new not-to-exceed total of $1,785,000 and no change to end date of June 30, 2025.
On June 4, 2024, the Board approved an agreement with the Windsor Water District for Wastewater Collection and Treatment. That agreement requires Sonoma Water to continue to perform biosolids removal to help ensure plant processes continue to function efficiently and regulatory requirements are met.
SELECTION PROCESS
When this agreement was first executed in 2020, there was an urgent need to remove biosolids and regain solids storage capacity at the Airport Treatment Plant. To expedite this work, Sonoma Water utilized the competitive selection process completed by the Town of Windsor (Town) in December 2019 for biosolids removal and related services. Sonoma Water determined that the services solicited by Town were substantially similar to services required by Sonoma Water. In addition, Sonoma Water determined that Town’s evaluation of respondents met Sonoma Water’s standard for evaluation.
Sonoma Water contacted Service Provider by phone and discussed the work on February 6, 2020, at which time Service Provider agreed to perform similar services at the rates negotiated with the Town.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed amended agreement, Service Provider will continue to provide biosolids removal and related services including permit acquisition, mobilization, demobilization, transportation, cleanup, preparation of the related required plans, and disposal, including applicable dewatering, weighing, and sampling in a manner that complies with local, state, and federal requirements. In addition, Service Provider will provide additional biosolids removal during the 2024 Removal Event.
Removal Events will be coordinated with the Town and Service Provider to reduce mobilization and demobilization costs, since the Town’s facility is near the Airport Treatment Plant. Removal Events are planned in the first, third, and fifth years of the agreement to allow for funding to be accrued and to coincide with the estimated biosolids accumulation and feasibility of mobilization and demobilization efficiencies.
The additional cost is $414,000, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $2,199,000. There is no change to end date of June 30, 2025.
Under the amended agreement, the General Manager shall have the ability to extend the term of the agreement for two additional years by providing written notice to the other party thirty days in advance of the expiration date. The extension shall be formalized in an amended agreement or amendment signed by the parties.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
Goal: Planning and Infrastructure
Strategy: Conduct planning that integrates and balances operational, maintenance, and infrastructure priorities.
Action: Continue to engage in planning efforts to support reliable wastewater and flood management services.
Regular biosolids removal and disposal ensure the biological processes involved in wastewater treatment continue to function reliably and efficiently at Airport Treatment Plant.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
07/12/2022: Approved first amended agreement between Sonoma Water and Synagro-WWT, Inc., for continuing biosolids removal and related services. Additional cost $525,000 for new not-to-exceed cost of $1,785,000; term end June 30, 2025.
08/04/2020: Approved agreement between Sonoma Water and Synagro-WWT, Inc., for biosolids removal and related services. Cost $1,260,000; term end June 30, 2025.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$414,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$414,000 |
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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 |
$414,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$414,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $414,000 is available from FY 2024/2025 appropriations for the Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone Operations fund. No additional appropriation is required.
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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:
Draft Amended Agreement with Synagro-WWT, Inc.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None