To: The Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Grant Davis 547-1911
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): First
Title:
Title
Receive report on Emergency Need to Perform Work to Stabilize Dangerous Conditions Resulting from a Pipeline Leak on the Sonoma Aqueduct at the Verano Avenue Bridge crossing of Sonoma Creek in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, near Sonoma, California
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Recommended Actions:
Recommended action
Receive report on Emergency Need to Perform Work to Stabilize Dangerous Conditions Resulting from a Pipeline Leak on the Sonoma Aqueduct at the Verano Avenue Bridge crossing of Sonoma Creek in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, near Sonoma, California
(First District) (4/5th Vote Required)
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Executive Summary:
This item requests the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) to receive a report and make findings of the ongoing need to repair/replace the section of aqueduct pipeline at the Verano Avenue Bridge crossing of Sonoma Creek in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, near Sonoma, California, due to an aqueduct leak and continue to suspend competitive bidding.
Discussion:
In the early afternoon of August 17, 2022, Sonoma Water became aware of an apparent leak on Sonoma Water’s Sonoma Aqueduct. The Sonoma Aqueduct leak (Incident) is a result of unknown origin currently. As a result of the Incident, dangerous conditions have arisen at the Sonoma Aqueduct at Verano Avenue Bridge. This aqueduct facility is owned and maintained by Sonoma Water. The Incident poses a clear and imminent danger requiring immediate action to prevent or mitigate the loss or impairment of life, health, property, or essential public services.
Sonoma Water staff are in the process of conducting damage assessments so the exact nature of the emergency repair(s) needed is still being determined. Procurement of materials and services necessary to conduct the assessment and initial repair activities is underway, including but not limited to purchase of pipe, fittings, and valve materials, as well as contractor services to perform the work.
The Sonoma Aqueduct delivers Russian River water that is pumped from Sonoma Water’s Santa Rosa Aqueduct via the Sonoma Booster Station (located near Spring Lake Park) through a 16.7-mile-long aqueduct to serve potable water to the City of Sonoma, the Valley the Moon Water District, and other Sonoma Valley customers. In the El Verano area, the Sonoma Aqueduct crosses Sonoma Creek along Verano Avenue, adjacent to Maxwell Regional Park. The pipe is suspended from the County of Sonoma’s Verano Avenue Bridge and transitions from 16-inch to 14-inch diameter at the creek crossing. The leak is located within the buried portion of the pipeline, immediately west of the bridge.
Sonoma Water staff have mobilized necessary resources to the leak site to minimize impacts to the environment and human health. In addition, staff have been coordinating response efforts with multiple involved entities, including County of Sonoma Transportation and Public Works, Valley of the Moon Water District, City of Sonoma, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and National Marine Fisheries Service, and California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water.
Sonoma Water staff believe that complete failure of the pipeline is highly possible. If the pipeline were to fail, it could cause major erosion, flooding, and contamination along Sonoma Creek with potable water, thereby posing a significant danger to residents, motorists, and the environment. In addition, the failure would threaten sustained water supply reliability depending on the degree of severity and extent of repairs needed, thereby impacting numerous properties and businesses in the area.
Based upon the above, there is an urgent need to make the repairs to Sonoma Water’s facilities to prevent catastrophic failure of this pipe and ensure the delivery of essential public services. The normal contracting process takes two to three months from a minimum advertising period through assessing bids and awarding and executing contracts. This delay would mean that it would not be possible to perform necessary preventative measures to protect public health and safety in a timely manner.
Public Contract Code section 22050 authorizes Sonoma Water to enter into contracts for public projects as may be necessary to mitigate emergency conditions without giving notice for bids. Additionally, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22035, this emergency work may proceed without adopting plans or specifications. If approved, this item will be brought back to the Board every 14 days thereafter to determine (by 4/5 vote) if there is a need to continue the action without competitive bidding. The Board is obligated to terminate the waiver of the bid process at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant so that the remainder of the work may be completed under the bid process.
Prior Board Actions:
08/30/2022: Resolution Making Findings of an Emergency Need to Perform Work to Stabilize Dangerous Conditions Resulting from a Pipeline Leak on the Sonoma Aqueduct at the Verano Avenue Bridge crossing of Sonoma Creek in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, near Sonoma, California
06/17/2022: Board Adoption of the FY 2022-23 Budget
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
On August 30, 2020, the Board approved appropriations of $750,000 from the Water Transmission Fund for this Project. Further additional expenditure authorization, if needed, for equipment and material procurements and services associated with this Project will be requested of the Board in the future.
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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.