REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL February 4, 2021 FROM: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Director Department of Public Utilities THROUGH: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Assistant Director - UP&E Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering BY: ANITA LUERA, Supervising Engineering Technician Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the City of Fresno's existing sanitary sewer collection system: 1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption, pursuant to Section 15306 and Statutory Exemption pursuant to Section 15262 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 2. Approve a Consultant Services Agreement with V&A Consulting Engineers, Inc., to conduct an odor and corrosion investigation and prepare a Basis of Design Report outlining corrective control measures, for an amount not to exceed $221,401 (Citywide) ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that City Council approve a consultant services agreement with V&A Consulting Engineers, Inc., (V&A), in the amount of $201,401 plus a contingency of $20,000, for a total amount not to exceed $221,401, to conduct an odor and corrosion investigation of the existing sanitary sewer collection system and prepare a Basis of Design Report outlining corrective control measures (Project); and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno (City). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Wastewater Management Division (WMD), maintains the sanitary sewer collection system and has received complaints of odor associated with the collection system at various locations throughout the City. As a result, the WMD used data loggers to monitor hydrogen sulfide concentrations at these locations and now requires consultant services to analyze the collected data and complete an investigation of the City's collection system. Following the investigation, the consultant will complete a Feasibility Study for treatment and control options that will reduce or eliminate the production and/or emission of corrosive and odorous gas at the various locations and provide the WMD with recommendations for the most effective and efficient treatment options. To conclude the Project, the consultant will prepare a Basis of Design Report outlining the design criteria for site specific treatment systems for future design and construction. BACKGROUND The WMD is responsible for the collection, conveyance, treatment, and reclamation of wastewater generated by sewer customers in the Fresno-Clovis metropolitan area. Over 68 million gallons of wastewater is generated daily, and travels through the sanitary sewer collection system to the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility located southwest of Fresno. The collection system is comprised of approximately 1,600 miles of sanitary sewer lines ranging from 6-inches to 84-inches in diameter, over 24,000 access structures (manholes), and 15 sewer lift stations. A natural occurrence within the sanitary sewer collection system is the production and release of gases such as hydrogen sulfide. This gas can lead to corrosion of the collection system infrastructure and has an unpleasant smell. Based on the locations of odor complaints and physical characteristics of the system such as pipe diameter, the WMD identified areas of the collection system to study and used data loggers to collect and monitor hydrogen sulfide concentrations at these locations. The City now requires consultant services to conduct an investigation of the City's existing sanitary sewer collection system which will include analyzation of the collected data and identification of sources that contribute to the production and/or emission of corrosive and odorous gas. Following the investigation, the consultant will complete a Feasibility Study of the available treatment & control options and provide a recommendation as to the improvements that would deliver the maximum cost-to-benefit ratio for effective treatment at each source. The WMD will review the results of the study and select the appropriate treatment(s) for future construction. To conclude the Project, the consultant will prepare a Basis of Design Report which will outline design criteria for the selected treatment systems. Final design and construction support services are not included as part of the current Project. In accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 1, and Administrative Order 6-19, the DPU conducted a competitive process for selecting a consultant to provide the requested professional services for this Project. On October 9, 2020, 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 31 potential candidates. The RFQ was also published in the Business Journal on October 9, 2020. One Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) was submitted to DPU for consideration by the deadline of November 6, 2020. A selection committee, consisting of representatives from the DPU's Utilities Planning and Engineering and Wastewater Management Divisions, evaluated the SOQ and ranked the consultant. Upon completing the evaluation and fee negotiation process, V&A was selected based on their extensive experience evaluating odor control needs in wastewater collection systems, developing comprehensive control strategies, and familiarity with the existing collection system. A standard consultant services agreement has been used, without modification, in accordance with Administrative Order 4-4. V&A's 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 his designee. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Staff has determined that a Statutory Exemption is appropriate pursuant to Section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines because the Project consists of a feasibility study for possible future actions which have not been approved, and a Categorical Exemption is appropriate pursuant to Class 6, Section 15306 of the CEQA Guidelines because the Project involves data collection and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. This Project involves an investigation of the City's existing sanitary sewer collection system and evaluation of data resulting in completion of a Feasibility Study of the available treatment & control options, and preparation of a Basis of Design Report for future improvements. 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 V&A submitted certification, pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-109(b), to having local firm subconsultants. The benefit to these local firms is an amount greater than 15% of the total basic services contract price. As such, V&A qualifies for local preference. FISCAL IMPACT There is no impact to the General Fund. This Project is located citywide. Funding for this work is included in the Wastewater Management Division's Capital Improvement Program budget within the Wastewater Enterprise Fund 40501. The total contracted price for this work is $201,401 plus a contingency of $20,000 for a total amount not to exceed $221,401. No additional funding is required for this Project. Attachments: Attachment 1 - Notice of Exemption Attachment 2 - Consultant Services Agreement