To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency, and Occidental County Sanitation District
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency and Occidental County Sanitation District
Staff Name and Phone Number: Parastou Hooshialsadat 707-547-1961
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
Occidental to Graton Wastewater Pipeline Feasibility Study
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Brelje and Race Consulting Engineers for feasibility study services through December 31, 2022, in the not-to-exceed amount of $156,900.
B) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency's General Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between Occidental County Sanitation District and Graton Community Services District for the feasibility study. There is no cost to either Sonoma County Water Agency or Occidental County Sanitation District; term is December 31, 2022.
C) Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Adjustment to the Board Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 for the Sonoma Water General Fund and the Occidental County Sanitation District Operations Fund for $192,000 each for the Occidental to Graton Wastewater Pipeline Feasibility Study.
(4/5th Vote Required) (Fifth District)
end
Executive Summary:
This item requests authority for Sonoma County Water Agency’s (Sonoma Water) General Manager to execute an agreement on behalf of Occidental County Sanitation District (District) with Brelje and Race Consulting Engineers to conduct a study to assess the feasibility of transporting untreated wastewater from District to the Graton Community Services District (Graton) and constructing a pipeline from District to Graton. This item also requests authority for Sonoma Water’s General Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between District and Graton to conduct the feasibility study.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
District has been severely challenged to provide affordable wastewater services to its small customer base (100 customers). The current rates create a significant burden, in particular, on the businesses District serves. Even with these high rates, District operates at a very large deficit each year, and receives large subsidies from Sonoma Water’s General Fund to cover its operating and capital improvement costs. District has been unable to implement an affordable long-term wastewater solution that complies with state and federal regulations regarding the reuse/disposal of treated wastewater. As a result, wastewater is currently being hauled from District’s lift station to the Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup Sanitation Zone treatment plant for treatment and disposal. The best long-term solution would be for District to connect to a larger wastewater system.
Graton approached Sonoma Water several years ago to express their interest in providing wastewater treatment and disposal services to District. Graton also operates a small wastewater system with high rates and strained funding for operations, maintenance and equipment replacement. Based on preliminary assessments, there is the potential for both Graton and District to realize significant benefits by connecting these systems together.
Additional engineering and financial feasibility work is needed to better understand the costs and benefits of connecting these systems together. In order to further evaluate these costs and benefits, District and Graton agree to conduct a feasibility study to assess two scenarios: 1) temporarily transporting untreated wastewater from District to Graton for treatment and disposal, and 2) constructing a pipeline from District to Graton. The results of the feasibility study will help inform potential future decisions regarding collaboration between these districts.
SELECTION PROCESS
On May 17, 2019, Sonoma Water issued a Request for Statements of Qualifications (RFQ) to 36 firms listed on the attached recipient list. The RFQ was also posted on the Sonoma Water and County of Sonoma Purchasing Department websites.
The 22 firms listed below submitted Statements of Qualifications (SOQs):
1. ADKO Engineering, Inc., Roseville, CA
2. Allana Buick & Bers, Inc., Palo Alto, CA
3. BC Engineering Group, Santa Rosa, CA
4. Bellecci & Associates, Concord, CA
5. Beyaz & Patel, Inc., San Diego, CA
6. BKF Engineers, Santa Rosa, CA
7. Brelje & Race Consulting Engineers, Santa Rosa, CA
8. CSW/Struber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc., Petaluma, CA
9. ERM-West, Inc., Walnut Creek, CA
10. GEI Consultants, Rancho Cordova, CA
11. HDR Engineering, Inc., Folsom, CA
12. InfraTerra, Inc., San Francisco, CA
13. LEE & RO, Inc., City of Industry, CA
14. Mott MacDonald, San Ramon, CA
15. Prunuske Chatham, Inc., Sebastopol, CA
16. Questa Engineering Corporation, Petaluma, CA
17. Schaaf & Wheeler Consulting Civil Engineers, Santa Rosa, CA
18. Summit Engineering, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA
19. TJC and Associates, Inc., Walnut Creek, CA
20. Watercourse Engineering, Inc., Davis, CA
21. Woodard & Curran, Walnut Creek, CA
22. ZFA Structural Engineers, Santa Rosa, CA
The following criteria were used to evaluate each firm:
• Thoroughness of SOQ.
• Professional qualifications and demonstrated ability to perform the work.
• Exceptions to standard terms in the sample agreement.
• Local Service Provider Preference.
Brelje and Race Consulting Engineers was selected based on their experience with similar work, including direct experience with District’s previous projects related to treatment, storage, and conveyance of wastewater.
Sonoma Water may seek to amend or enter into subsequent agreement(s) with Board approval if required, relying upon this competitive selection process, after the preliminary or initial work is completed for the Project.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, District and Graton agree to conduct a feasibility study to assess transporting untreated wastewater from District to Graton for treatment and disposal and constructing a pipeline from District to Graton. There is no cost to Sonoma Water or District for the Memorandum of Understanding; term end date is December 31, 2022. Should a future trucking program or pipeline connection occur between District and Graton, District will be reimbursed its costs for the feasibility study through reduced rates.
Under the proposed agreement, Consultant will conduct a feasibility study to assess temporarily transporting untreated wastewater from District to Graton for treatment and disposal, and constructing a pipeline from District to Graton. Alternatives will consider capital and annualized costs for both trucking to Graton and the proposed pipeline project. In addition, the study will provide a preliminary proposed rate structure for Graton to charge District in order to receive, treat, and dispose of District’s wastewater.
The cost of services for the agreement will not exceed $156,900; the term end date is December 31, 2022.
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$142,000 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$192,000 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$192,000 |
$142,000 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$192,000 |
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
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Fees/Other |
|
$142,000 |
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$192,000 |
$142,000 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Total project costs are estimated to be $334,000. Additional appropriation of $192,000 (Consultant agreement in the amount of $156,900 and Sonoma Water staff costs in the amount of $35,100) is required for FY2020/2021 and will be transferred from the Sonoma Water General Fund. A budgetary resolution has been submitted with this item.
Appropriations for ongoing staff costs will be budgeted in FY2021/2022. All appropriations will be budgeted in the Occidental County Sanitation District Operations 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: Agreement with Brelje and Race Consulting Engineers
Attachment 2: Memorandum of Understanding by and between Occidental County Sanitation District and Graton Community Services District for Feasibility Study
Attachment 3: Recipient List
Attachment 4: Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None