To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Anjenette Hayre / 707-521-1830
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
Geyserville Sanitation Zone Treatment Plant Biosolids Removal and Related Services
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Synagro-WWT, Inc. for biosolids removal and related services through November 30, 2026, in the not-to-exceed amount of $420,000. (Fourth District)
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Executive Summary:
This item requests approval to enter into an agreement with Synagro-WWT, Inc. (Service Provider) for biosolids removal and disposal services. The work under this agreement includes removal, dewatering, weighing, sampling, and disposal of biosolids from treatment ponds at the Geyserville Sanitation Zone treatment plant (Geyserville Treatment Plant), owned by Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water). The Geyserville Treatment Plant’s process does not include biosolids removal and therefore requires regular biosolids removal to ensure the biological processes can function at their peak efficiency. The removal process involves multiple steps and coordinated planning to ensure the Geyserville Treatment Plant remains safely online during the maintenance procedure.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Wastewater treatment ponds require ongoing maintenance to allow the plant to operate in compliance with its Waste Discharge Requirements permit and Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements. Since 2010, limited biosolids removal has been provided by Sonoma Water staff, but Sonoma Water does not have to the capacity to provide large scale biosolids removal. In 2018, it was necessary to remove and dispose of biosolids from the treatment ponds at Geyserville Sanitation Zone, Occidental County Sanitation District, and Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone. This work was performed by a service provider selected through a request for qualification process initiated by Sonoma Water in August 2017 for as-needed biosolids removal and disposal services.
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 the Geyserville Treatment Plant and reuse for land application or disposed 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 the Geyserville Sanitation Zone.
SELECTION PROCESS
Because the ponds at Geyserville Treatment Plant are nearing capacity, there is an urgent need to remove biosolids and regain capacity as soon as possible. In an effort to expedite this work, Sonoma Water has utilized the competitive selection process that was completed by the Town of Windsor (Town) in December 2019 for biosolids removal and related services. Sonoma Water determined that the services that were 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. Therefore, Sonoma Water selected the same Service Provider based on Town’s competitive selection process.
Sonoma Water contacted Service Provider by phone and discussed the work in October 2020, at which time Service Provider agreed to perform similar services at the rates negotiated with Town.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed agreement, Service Provider will provide biosolids removal including permit acquisition, mobilization, demobilization, transportation, cleanup, preparation of required plans, and disposal, including applicable dewatering, weighing, and sampling in a manner that complies with local, state, and federal requirements.
Removal Events will be coordinated with the Town and Service Provider to reduce mobilization and demobilization costs, since Town’s facility is in close proximity to the Geyserville Treatment Plant. Removal Events are planned in the first 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 cost of services will not exceed $420,000; the term end date is November 30, 2026.
The agreement includes two options for Sonoma Water to extend this agreement for a period of one year each by providing written notice to Service Provider thirty days in advance of the expiration date of the agreement and of the first extension option.
Prior Board Actions:
08/04/2020: Authorized Sonoma Water’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Synagro-WWT, Inc. for biosolids removal and related services for the treatment ponds at Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone treatment plant through June 30, 2025, in the not-to-exceed amount of $1,260,000.
02/28/2018: Approved agreement between Sonoma Water and Santos Excavating, Inc., for as-needed lagoon sludge removal and disposal services through March 1, 2021, in the amount of $1,000,000.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$21,000 |
$179,000 |
$80,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$21,000 |
$179,000 |
$80,000 |
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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 |
$21,000 |
$179,000 |
$80,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$21,000 |
$179,000 |
$80,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $21,000 is available from FY 2020/2021 appropriations for the Geyserville Sanitation Zone Operations fund. FY 2021/2022 appropriations will be budgeted in that fiscal year, for a Removal Event in year one of the agreement. FY 2022/2023 and future fiscal year appropriations will be budgeted in those fiscal years and rolled forward to fund a Removal Event in FY 2025/2026.
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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:
None.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.