REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 26, 2015
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Division Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Water Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to Fresno-Clovis Water System interconnection agreement for interconnection of municipal potable water systems for temporary water service and emergency backup (Council District 4)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Supplemental Agreement No. 1 ("Supplement") to the Fresno-Clovis Water System Interconnection Agreement ("Agreement") for interconnection of municipal potable water systems for temporary water service and emergency backup.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 15, 2007, Council approved the Agreement for interconnection of municipal potable water systems for temporary water service and emergency backup, allowing Fresno and Clovis to exchange potable water through two connection points: (i) the northern connection at East Behymer Avenue and North Willow Avenue, and (ii) the southern connection at North Leonard Avenue and the Gould Canal. The first connection to be constructed is the Southern Water Main Interconnection which will help meet peak hour demands, reduce the reliance and impact on groundwater and provide temporary service and on-going emergency back-up in Southeast Fresno. In anticipation of the completion of the Southern Water Main Interconnection later this year, staff from the City of Fresno, City of Clovis, and Fresno Irrigation District have begun planning and coordination efforts necessary to allow Fresno's surface water to be treated at Clovis' Surface Water Treatment Facility. Through these coordination efforts, it was determined that a Supplemental Agreement to the Fresno-Clovis Water System Interconnection Agreement was necessary prior to commencing the operation of the Southern Water Main Interconnection.
BACKGROUND
On May 15, 2007, Council approved the Agreement facilitating the transportation of water from City to City. For the Southern Water Main Interconnection, the process will start with the delivery of a portion of Fresno's surface water to the Clovis' surface water treatment facility. There, the water will be treated and delivered to Southeast Fresno through the Southern Water Main Interconnection. At that connection, a water meter will track the volume of water delivered and Fresno will reimburse Clovis for the actual cost of treatment and delivery. The Agreement outlines three water delivery conditions. The first water delivery condition provides a maximum amount of water during peak demand periods, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. The peak hour delivery of water to Southeast Fresno will range in flow from 3,000 gpm when the connection is completed and incrementally declining to 2,000 gallons per minute ("gpm") during the following six years. The second water delivery condition is based on effective water resource management. Fresno may choose to maximize the direct treatment of surface water verses using groundwater. Therefore, upon request by Fresno and if Clovis has the capacity within their system, additional surface water can be treated and delivered in-lieu of Fresno using groundwater. The third water delivery condition is for mutual aid providing short term service as a result of maintenance operations or emergencies.
On March 15, 2005, Council authorized a cost reimbursement agreement for the construction of Phase I of the Southern Water Main Interconnection with Clovis which was completed later that year. Phase II will connect to the termination point of Phase I at the intersection of Ashlan and Leonard Avenues and proceed south 3,200 feet along Leonard Avenue and cross under the Gould Canal. On June 10, 2008, Council approved a cost reimbursement agreement with the City of Clovis for the construction of Phase II of the Southern Water Main Interconnection. On January 29, 2015, Council approved an amendment to the cost reimbursement agreement for Phase II to extend the time to complete construction. Phase II construction is currently in progress and estimated to be complete during the summer of 2015. Phase III continues the pipeline in Leonard Avenue to Shields Avenue, turning west until connecting to the Fresno water system at Locan Avenue. Phase III of the project was constructed in 2009 as a condition of development for Tract 5717.
In anticipation of the completion of the Southern Water Main Interconnection later this year, staff from the City of Fresno, City of Clovis, and Fresno Irrigation District have begun planning and coordination efforts necessary to allow Fresno's surface water to be treated at Clovis' Surface Water Treatment Facility. Through these coordination efforts, it was determined that a Supplement to the Agreement was necessary to clarify that the Agreement does not supersede the Cooperative Agreement between the Fresno Irrigation District and the City of Fresno for Water Utilization and Conveyance dated May 25,1976 ("Fresno Cooperative Agreement"), or the Cooperative Agreement between the Fresno Irrigation District and the City of Clovis for Water Utilization and Conveyance dated August 7, 1972 ("Clovis Cooperative Agreement"), and that all provisions of the Fresno Cooperative Agreement and the Clovis Cooperative Agreement remain in effect.
The Supplement to the Agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney's Office and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared and adopted on May 15, 2007, for this project. An amendment to the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared and adopted on June 24, 2008. The purpose of the project is to develop an interconnection between the Fresno and Clovis municipal potable water systems facilitating the transportation of water from City to City.
An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines ยง15162 to determine whether subsequent environmental review is required for the project. Based upon this analysis the following findings are made to support the determination that no subsequent environmental review is required:
1. No substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. In this case there are no changes to the project.
2. No substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken which will require major revisions of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. In this case, the proposed pipeline alignment has not changed.
3. There is no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration that the project will have significant effect not discussed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration.
Based upon these findings, it has been determined that no further environmental documentation is required for this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because this is an administrative action and is not a competitive bid.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the Supplement to the Agreement will not impact the General Fund. Costs for the purchase of treated water from Clovis will be included in the annual operations and maintenance budget within the Water Enterprise Fund.
Attachments:
1. Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the Fresno-Clovis Water System Interconnection Agreement
2. Fresno-Clovis Water System Interconnection Agreement dated May 15, 2007