REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NICHOLAS D. MASCIA, PE, Assistant City Manager
Interim Director - Capital Projects Department
BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: francisco V. magos II, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
PATRICIA DIEP, Project Manager
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with Michael K. Nunley & Associates, Inc., to increase the total contract by an amount not to exceed $96,026, paid on a time and materials basis for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $466,501, with a contingency amount not to exceed $55,570, for the Reclamation Well Pipeline and Associated Site Improvements Project. (Council District 3)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council approve the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement (Agreement) with Michael K. Nunley & Associates, Inc., a California corporation (Consultant), to increase the total contract amount by an amount not to exceed $96,026, for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $466,501, with a contingency amount not to exceed $55,570, to amend the Consultant’s scope of services for the Reclamation Well Pipeline and Associated Site Improvements Project (Project), and authorize the Capital Projects Department Director or designee to sign and execute all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 10, 2022, the City approved a Consultant Services Agreement with Michael K. Nunley & Associates, Inc., for preparation of construction documents for a reclamation well water pipeline, of which in part, included converting Aeration Basin Number 3 at the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF) into a reclaimed water storage basin. After review by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), it was decided that converting Aeration Basin Number 3 into a reclaimed water storage basin was no longer feasible.
Staff now recommends approval of the First Amendment to the Agreement to amend the scope of services to retrofit Final Clarifier Number 5 into a reclaimed water storage basin instead of Aeration Basin Number 3. The First Amendment to the Agreement will be funded utilizing appropriations included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Sewer Enterprise Fund.
BACKGROUND
To meet the growing demand for recycled water, the City may supplement recycled water production by the Tertiary Treatment and Disinfection Facility (TTDF) with pumped reclamation well water. Reclaimed water is undisinfected secondary effluent from the RWRF that is discharged to the percolation ponds, undergoes Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) as the water percolates into the underlying aquifer, and is then extracted through existing reclamation wells. Studies performed in 2010 and 2011 by the City of Fresno and Dinuba, in cooperation with the US Bureau of Reclamation, demonstrated the reclaimed water met the regulatory requirements of Title 22, similar to that of recycled water produced by the TTDF. In 2015, the City obtained approval from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to amend the Waste Discharge Requirements to include the SAT as a means of filtration and disinfection.
The RWRF currently discharges approximately 58 million gallons per day (MGD) of undisinfected secondary effluent to the percolation ponds, a portion of which is later extracted by reclamation wells and can be delivered to Fresno Irrigation District (FID) through the Houghton Pipeline. The purpose of this Project is to construct a new 0.65-mile pipeline that will branch off the existing Houghton Pipeline and tie to the Southwest Recycled Water Distribution Pipeline, thereby allowing reclaimed water to supplement the recycled water produced by the TTDF during times of high demand.
This First Amendment will amend the scope of services for Part 1 and 2 of the original Agreement to retrofit Final Clarifier Number 5 into a reclaimed water storage basin instead of Aeration Basin Number 3. To date, the Consultant has provided the City with 60% design drawings, specifications, and an engineer’s estimate of probable construction costs. However, during a design meeting with DPU, it was decided that converting Aeration Basin Number 3 into a reclaimed water storage basin was no longer feasible. This decision is directly attributed to increased loading at the RWRF resulting in the need to retain the treatment capacity of Aeration Basin Number 3. The amended scope includes modification to the A-side Final Clarifier Number 5, realignment of the reclaimed water pipeline from Aeration Basin Number 3 to Final Clarifier Number 5, modification and relocation of the valve vault, modification and relocation of the tank drain station and discharge piping, and an updated Title 22 Engineering Report.
Staff now recommends approval of the First Amendment to the Agreement to increase the total contract by an amount not to exceed $96,026, paid on a time and materials basis, increasing the total contract to an amount not to exceed $466,501, paid on a time and materials basis, and a contingency amount not to exceed $55,570; and authorize the Capital Projects Department Interim Director or designee to sign the First Amendment on behalf of the City. The First Amendment to the Agreement will be funded utilizing appropriations included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Sewer Enterprise Fund.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the proposed Amendment as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition of the CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the amendment of this consultant services agreement for design services does not qualify as a “project” for the purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference does not apply to this action because this is an amendment to an existing consultant services agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed Project is located in Council District 3 and has no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project is included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Sewer Enterprise Fund.
Attachments:
First Amendment to Agreement
Original Consultant Agreement
Vicinity Map
Location Map