REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM : PAUL AMICO, PE, Interim Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: CORY ASHER, Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division
ARTURO ALVAREZ, Water/Wastewater Manager-Certified
Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Affect Industries, Inc., manufacturer’s representative for Duke’s Root Control, Inc., as the Sole Source of Vaporooter® for sewer mainline root control (Citywide):
1. ***RESOLUTION - Resolution authorizing an exception to the formal bidding procedures and award a Sole Source Product Purchase Contract with Affect Industries, Inc.; (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
2. Award a multi-year Sole Source Product Purchase Contract with Affect Industries, Inc., for the annual purchase of Vaporooter®, to be administered in identified sewer mainlines Citywide, in an amount not to exceed $180,000.00 per year;
3. Authorize the Purchasing Manager or their designee, to execute a multi-year Sole Source Product Purchase Contract with Affect Industries, Inc., for the annual purchase of Vaporooter® for three years with provisions for three one-year extensions thereafter, in an amount not to exceed $180,000.00 per year, totaling an estimated $540,000.00 over three years, with provisions for three one-year extensions.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council adopt the Resolution authorizing an exemption to the formal bidding procedures and award a Sole Source Product Purchase Contract with Affect Industries, Inc. (Affect), manufacturer’s representative for Duke’s Root Control, Inc. (Duke’s), for the purchase of Vaporooter® through a multi-year contract not to exceed $180,000 annually, to administer Vaporooter® in identified sewer mainlines Citywide, and authorize the Purchasing Manager or their designee to execute the contract for three years, with provisions for three one-year extensions, totaling an estimated $540,000 over three years, with provisions for three one-year extensions.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) requests that City Council adopt the Resolution authorizing an exception to the formal bidding procedures and authorize the Purchasing Manager or their designee to award a multi-year sole source product purchase contract with Affect for the annual purchase of Vaporooter®, an herbicide used to target mainline root intrusion, in City-owned sewer mainlines. This is a three-year product purchase contract, with provisions for three one-year extensions thereafter.
Affect, on behalf of Duke’s, is the sole source of Vaporooter®. DPU’s Wastewater Management Division (WMD) owns and operates two Vactor Ramjet (jet rodder) vehicles specially outfitted with Vaporooter® machinery (see Vehicle Pictures Attachment).
BACKGROUND
The City maintains a wastewater collection system consisting of approximately 1,600 miles of sewer mainlines, 25,000 manholes, 55 junction structures, and 18 City-owned lift stations. To facilitate the proper functioning of the collection system, WMD’s preventative maintenance strategy includes a root control program that involves sewer mainline root cutting and chemical root control. Mainlines included in the preventive maintenance program are treated at one-, two-, and three-year intervals from the first treatment, resulting in overlapping cycles and variable annual footages. The not-to-exceed $180,000 annual purchase of Vaporooter® accommodates the rotation’s average of approximately 320,000 linear feet of sewer mainline treated per year.
Once a sewer mainline is placed on the root control list, the roots are first mechanically removed, and thirty days later they can be treated using Vaporooter® to kill remaining roots. This thirty-day interval allows for new root growth prior to the application of the herbicide, increasing its efficacy. These mainlines remain on rotating maintenance schedules until substantial structural improvements can be made, typically as part of a capital improvement project.
The WMD owns and operates two jet rodder vehicles specially outfitted with Vaporooter® machinery as shown in the Vehicle Pictures Attachment. Since implementing the Vaporooter® chemical component to the root control program in 2016, WMD has seen a significant decrease in the frequency that sewer mainlines require root control work, which justifies continuing and expanding the chemical root control program.
The City Manager has reviewed and approved this contract. City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, this item is not a project for the purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because the Resolution is a sole source product purchase contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Vaporooter® is applied in identified sewer mainlines Citywide. Appropriations for this purchase are included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Wastewater Management Division Operations and Maintenance Budget within the Sewer Enterprise Fund (4500-4501); future annual purchases will be included in future fiscal year budgets.
Attachments:
25-1308 Sole Source Resolution - Vaporooter
25-1308 Product Purchase Contract - Vaporooter
25-1308 Sole Source Letter
25-1308 Vaporooter® Chemistry
25-1308 Quote
25-1308 Vehicle Pictures