REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
May 16, 2019
FROM: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Director
Department of Public Utilities
THROUGH: BRIAN SPINDOR, PE(WA), Assistant Director - Wastewater
Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division
DEJAN PAVIC, PE, Public Utilities Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
BY: ANITA LUERA, Senior Engineering Technician
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Preparation of Workplans for Evaluation of the Existing Groundwater Monitoring Well Network and Arsenic and Manganese Assessment at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (Council District 3 and Citywide):
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Class 6, Section 15306 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines
2. Approve a consultant services agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $250,000
3. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Class 6, Section 15306 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; approve a consultant services agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc. (Carollo), in an amount not to exceed $250,000 for the Preparation of Workplans for Evaluation of the Existing Groundwater Monitoring Well Network and Arsenic and Manganese Assessment at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF) (Project); and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Wastewater Management Division operates under Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) Order R5-2018-0080 adopted by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board) on December 13, 2018. To comply with the requirements of the WDR, staff conducted a competitive process for selecting a consultant for the Project. Failure to submit the workplans or to meet the deadlines established by the Board will result in a non-compliance status of the RWRF.
BACKGROUND
DPU, Wastewater Management Division operates the RWRF which is regulated by WDR Order R5-2018-0080 adopted by the Board on December 13, 2018. The WDR is the regulatory document that establishes numeric or narrative limits on the final effluent of the RWRF, as well as on the receiving groundwater, and also contains time-sensitive provisions that are required to be completed in order for the City to remain in compliance with the WDR.
Provision J of the WDR addresses Groundwater Limitations and provides a compliance schedule to submit a Groundwater Monitoring Well Network Evaluation and Well Installation Workplan that will evaluate and include proposed improvements to the existing groundwater monitoring well network’s adequacy in providing representative data of groundwater impacts by the RWRF. Provision J of the WDR also requires submittal of an Arsenic and Manganese Compliance Assessment Workplan to evaluate impacts of those constituents to the groundwater as they relate to the RWRF. The evaluation will include potential impacts of elevated concentrations on beneficial uses of groundwater downgradient of the RWRF and shall propose modifications to the current groundwater monitoring well network, if needed. Both of the workplans are required to be submitted to the Board by December 10, 2019.
In accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 1, and Administrative Order 6-19, DPU conducted a competitive process for selecting a consultant to provide the requested professional services for this Project. On February 5, 2019, the City published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for consulting services through the City’s Planet Bids website and sent direct email notifications with details of the posting to 129 potential candidates. The RFQ was then published in the Business Journal on February 8, 2019. Two Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) were submitted by the deadline on March 14, 2019. A selection committee, consisting of five representatives from DPU, Utilities Planning and Engineering and Wastewater Management Division, evaluated the SOQs and ranked the consultants. Upon completion of the evaluation, scope of work, and fee negotiation process, Carollo was selected based on their extensive experience on groundwater impacts by wastewater treatment facilities and their knowledge of the existing conditions of the RWRF as a result of a previous study determining the RWRF Best Practical Treatment and Control Report (2007) that addressed pollutants of concerns including arsenic and manganese. Failure to submit the workplan or to meet the deadlines established by the Board will result in a non-compliance status of the RWRF.
A standard consultant services agreement has been used in accordance with Administrative Order 4-4, and Carollo Certificates of Insurance have been approved by the City’s Risk Management Division. Upon approval by the City Council, the consultant services agreement will be executed by the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, who has been delegated this authority by the City Manager.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has determined that a Categorical Exemption is appropriate, based on Class 6, Section 15306 of the CEQA Guidelines. Class 6 exempts basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. This Project involves compliance with requirements set forth by a regulatory agency for protection of both natural resources and the environment. The study of the existing groundwater monitoring network will involve data collection and result in the preparation of workplans. No construction is involved in this study. Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this Project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference did not affect the evaluation process because the two consultants who submitted SOQs are both local firms.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. This Project is located in Council District 3 and provides Citywide benefits. Funding for this work is included in the Wastewater Management Division’s Operations and Maintenance budget within the Wastewater Enterprise Fund 40501. The total contracted price for this work is $250,000 of which $100,000 has been appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget, and $150,000 is scheduled to be appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget contingent upon adoption by the City Council.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Consultant Services Agreement
Attachment 2 - Waste Discharge Requirements Order R5-2018-0080