HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.F 01/28/2008CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
J.
AGENDA BILL
January 28, 200
Agenda Title: Resolution Authorizing the Sole Source Purchase of SMART
Meeting Date: January 28, 2008
Irrigation Controllers
Meeting Time: ® 3:00 PM
❑ 7:00 PM
Category: ❑ Presentation M Consent Calendar ❑ Public Hearing ❑ Unfinished Business ❑ New Business
Department:
Director:
Contact Person:
Phone Number:
Water Resources and
Michael J. Ban, P.E.
Margaret P. Orr, P.E.
778-4546
Conservation
j vl • P• �f n�
-Cost of Proposal: $223,914
Account Number: 8310-54130
Amount Budgeted: $225,000
Name of Fund:
Water Conservation
Attachments to Agenda Packet Item:
• Resolution
Hydropoint Data Systems Inc. Quotation (Attaclunent 1)
• Installation Quotations; Gardners Guild Inc., Hydropoint Data Systems Inc., Cagwin & Dorward
(Attachment 2)
Irrigation Association Smart Water Application Technology (Attaclunent 3)
Summary Statement: The City of Petaluma, in conjunction with the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA)
and the East Bay Municipal Utilities District, has been awarded an extension to Proposition 13 Grant funding
until October 2009 to purchase Smart Irrigation Controllers for City residents and select City commercial
locations. Smart Irrigation Controllers automatically calculate a scientifically-based irrigation schedule based on
several factors including plant type, soil type, and current weather conditions. The irrigation schedule is updated
daily via satellite as weather conditions change allowing for appropriate amounts of water to be applied to the
landscape. The Hydropoint Data Systems WeatherTrak ET Plus and Pro2 Controllers are the only controllers of
their kind that satisfy 100% of the testing requirements of the Irrigation Associations (IA) Smart Water
Application Technology (SWAT) Protocol.
In October 2006, City Council approved the sole source purchase and installation of 73 residential
WeatherTrak ET Plus Controllers and 19 commercial WeatherTrak Pro2 Controllers. These controllers were
successfully installed in March 2007. During peak 2007 irrigation season (July-October), the residential water use
decreased by 35% from the three year average of 2004-2006. City park water use decreased by 24% from the
three year average of 2004-2006.
Based on the success of the program, a sole source purchase of an additional 29 WeatherTrak Pro2 central
controllers to equip 25 City parks and City owned facilities and 10 WeatherTrak Plus Controllers for ten
Petaluma Ecumenical Properties (PEP) throughout the City of Petaluma is recommended. The City intends to
complete the project by the end of March 2008 to further potable water savings this coming sunnier.
Recommended City Council Action/Suggested Motion:
City Management recornnends authorizing the sole-source purchase of SMART Irrigation Controllers.
Reviewed by Admin. SY& Dir:
Reviewed by.Chtv
Approve4,1w.City Manager:
Date: (1(516,7
Date:
Date:
Rev. #
Date Last Revised:
File: S:\water resources & conservation\Conservation\City
CouncilUanuary 28, 2008 - ET ControllerW.pnda Report - ET
Controller Final.doc
I-
.1
CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 28, 2008
AGENDA REPORT
FOR
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF SMART
IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Petaluma, in conjunction with the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA)
and the East Bay Municipal Utilities District, has been awarded an extension to
Proposition 13 Grant funding until October 2009 to purchase Smart Irrigation Controllers
for City residents and select City commercial locations. Smart Irrigation Controllers
automatically calculate a scientifically -based irrigation schedule based on several factors
including plant type, soil type, and current weather conditions. The irrigation schedule is
updated daily via satellite as weather conditions change allowing for appropriate amounts
of water to be applied to the landscape. The Hydropoint Data Systems WeatherTrak ET
Plus and Prot Controllers are the only controllers of their kind that satisfy 100% of the
testing requirements of the Irrigation Associations (IA) Smart Water Application
Technology (SWAT) Protocol.
In October 2006, City Council approved the sole source purchase and installation of 73
residential WeatherTrak ET Plus Controllers and 19 commercial WeatherTrak Pro2
Controllers. These controllers were successfully installed in March 2007. During peak
2007 irrigation season (July -October), the residential water use decreased by 35% from
the three year average of 2004-2006. City park water use decreased by 24% from the
three year average of 2004-2006.
Based on the success of the program, a sole source purchase of an additional 29
WeatherTrak Pro2 central controllers to equip 25 City parks and City owned facilities
and 10 WeatherTrak Plus Controllers for ten Petaluma Ecmnenical Properties (PEP)
throughout the City of Petaluma is recommended. The City intends to complete the
project by the end of March 2008 to further potable water savings this coming sumnmer.
City Management recommends authorizing the sole -source purchase of SMART
Inrigation Controllers.
2. BACKGROUND: The East Bay Municipal Utilities District applied for and was awarded
Proposition 13 Grant funding for the purpose of purchasing Smart Irrigation Controllers
for its own customers as well as customers of qualifying Bay Area municipalities. The
Sonoma County Water Agency received a portion of thus grant funding to be distributed
to its retailers. Grant funding was to originally expire on March 31, 2007. Because not all
of the funds were exhausted by March 31, 2007, the Grant deadline was extended until
October 1, 2009.
The City has selected the WeatherTRAK ET Plus Smart Controller by Hydropoint Data
Systems to be installed for this project. The WeatherTRAK ET Plus controller is the only
central controller of its kind that satisfies 100% of the testing requirements of the
Irrigation Associations (IA) Smart Water Application Technology (SWAT) Protocol.
The Irrigation Association has developed this independent third party testing protocol
specific to "smart" controllers. Currently the protocol is administered through the Center
for Irrigation Technology (CIT), an independent testing laboratory, applied research
facility and educational resource center based at California State University, Fresno. The
objective of this protocol is to evaluate how well current commercial technology has
integrated the scientific data into a practical system that meets the agionomic needs of
turf and landscape plants. Each product evaluation is conducted by creating a six -zone
virtual landscape subjected to a real-time climate through monitoring of a selected
weather station to evaluate the ability of individual "smart' controllers to adequately and
efficiently irrigate that landscape. Currently, only the WeahterTrak controller meets all of
the required specifications of the SWAT testing protocol, hence the request to sole source
the installation. This type of controller is complicated and requires technical knowledge
for option unn progranuning which will give optimum water savings. The vendor has a
customer service program which will allow the customer to make unlimited calls to the
vendor should any questions or concerns arise.
The City of Petaluma has already used a portion of the Grant funding to install 73
residential WeatherTrak Smart Controllers and 19 commercial WeatherTrak Prot Smart
Controllers resulting in significant water savings (35% at residential locations and 24%
on City parks). Further sustained water savings is anticipated with the purchase and
installation of 29 additional WeatherTrak Prot Controllers at the majority of the
remaining City parks and facilities not already equipped with a Smart Controller and at
ten PEP locations.
Twenty-five City owned and maintained sites and 10 PEP locations have been identified
that would qualify for grant funding and benefit fiom a new WeatherTrak Pro2
Controller. To qualify for grant frmd ng, a site must have over 1,500 sq. ft. of irrigated
landscape and over 500 sq. ft. of irrigated turf.
A total of 39 controllers will be installed at the following 35 sites:
City Parks/Facilities:
Aria's Meadows
Bond Park
Casa Grande Median
Cavanaugh Court
Cavanaugh Park
Center Park
Crinella Park
Del Oro Park
Glen Brook Park
Kenilworth Park
Maria Strip
McDowell Meadows
Meadow View
Prince Park
Petaluma Police Station
City Musemn
Pemy Park
Rail Road Depot
Sunrise Park
Swine Center
4.
• La Tercera Park Western & Baker
• Leghoms Park Wiseman Park
• Maria/Sonoma Mt. Pkwy.
PEP Locations:
10 PEP sites throughout the City of Petaluma have been pre -qualified
Additionally, parks maintenance costs will be reduced by $4,757 for the fast year
because City parks staff will no longer need to make regular adjustments (assuming that
City personnel currently adjust existing controllers two times per month during the
irrigation season). Once per month adjustments of the new controllers will be made from
a desktop computer to fine tune the system during the fust year. After this first year of
fine-tuning, the maintenance costs savings will increase to $7,708 per year as adjustments
will become minimal.
An additional benefit of this program is the ability for the City to si nultaneously tum off
all of these controllers at the City parks/facilities sites via the web during peak demand
days thus significantly reducing system demand and the flexibility to allow parks to go
"brown" if a drought sets in. The City intends to monitor water usage for all accounts
that participate in the program to determine actual water savings.
Currently, the cities of Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Forestville and the North Marin Water
District have participated in this Smart Controller Grant Program.
ALTERNATIVES:
Purchase the Smart Controllers to match 19 existing controllers.
Direct Department of Water Resources & Conservation to bid the purchase.
Do not expand the use of Smart Irrigation Controllers.
4. Take no action.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
The cost for 39 controllers, including rain sensors, controller enclosures/pedestals, 10
years of two-way signaling fees for each park controller and three years for each PEP
controller, and tax is $199,762. Three bids for site audits and controller installation were
received. Gardeners' Guild, Inc. was the lowest bidder in the amount of $44,275. The
total rebate amount through the Proposition 13 grant finding will be $20,123. The total
cost of the project is $223,914.
Cost Sununaiv
Product Description Qty. Total Cost
WeatherTrak Prot central with 29 $191,682
10 year ET everywhere service,
rain sensors ($70 ea.), and tax
5.
NI
WeatherTrak Plus with 3 year ET 10 $8,080
everywhere signal, rain sensors,
and tax
Controller Installation 39 $44,275
Grant Funding (rebate) 29 $ 20.123
TOTAL22S 3.914
The return on investment calculation is an impressive 31%. Water savings anticipated as
part of this project are 14,020 CCF per year which translates into an average annual
savings $36,630 at the 2008 $2.64/hcf water rate. A conservative 22% water savings was
used to project these savings based on the results of the 2007 pilot project.
In addition to using Proposition 13 Grant
WeatherTrak Controllers will be paid out
conservation budget. This expenditure
Conservation funds.
CONCLUSION:
funding, the purchase and installation of the
of the City's current fiscal year 07/08 water
will be reimbursed with the City's SCWA
Water is a precious resource that should be applied to the landscape based on the site and
weather conditions. This project elevates the application of water to a technical level
based on data. A pilot progran incorporating these devices in 2007 provided terrific
water savings ranging from 24 - 35%. The expansion of this program gives the City of
Petaluma further potable water savings, the ability to observe controller status via the
Internet, and the ability to shut off all water to many City-o«ned lands if there is an
emergency or drought condition.
OUTCOMES OR PERFORAIANCE MEASUREAIENTs THAT WILL IDENTIFY SUCCESS OR
COMPLETION:
Successful installation of 39 irrigation controllers that result in a reduction of the City's
peak water demand as measured in the Fall of 2008.
RECOMMENDATION:
City Management recommends authorizing the sole -source purchase of SMART
Irrigation Controllers.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE AND OF SMART
IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS
WHEREAS, the East Bay Municipal Utilities District applied for and was awarded Proposition
13 Grant Funding for the purpose of Purchasing Smart Irrigation controllers for its own
customers as well as customers of qualifying Bay Area municipalities;
WHEREAS, the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) received a portion of this grant
funding to be distributed to its retailers;
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma applied for and was awarded funding from SCWA to
purchase 73 residential controllers and 19 commercial controllers as part of the 2007 Water
Conservation Program. Average water savings ranged from 24% to 35%;
WHEREAS, funding for this Smart Controller Program for the City of Petaluma will be
refunded after project completion from Proposition 13 Grant funding and the Sonoma County
Water Agency's Water Conservation Fund;
WHEREAS, Smart Irrigation Controllers automatically calculate a scientifically -based irrigation
schedule based on several factors, including plant type, soil type, and current weather conditions.
The irrigation schedule is updated daily as weather conditions change allowing for appropriate
amounts of water to be applied to the landscape. Smart Controllers have been proven to apply
20-30% less water than conventional, non weather -based irrigation controllers;
WHEREAS, the Irrigation Association has developed testing protocol for Smart Water
Application Technology (SWAT) that has identified the WeatherTRAK ET Plus irrigation
controller, manufactured by Hydropoint Data Systems, a Petaluma company, as the only
controller with central control capability to have passed the SWAT Protocol with a score of
100%;
WHEREAS, staff recommends the sole source purchase and installation of the WeatherTRAK
controller to match existing controllers and allow for centralized control of the system;
WHEREAS, staff has calculated a rate of return indicating that the return is greater than the cost
of money therefore indicating this project is beneficial to the City;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
1. That the City Council hereby authorizes the sole source purchase of 39 Hydropoint
WeatherTrak Smart Irrigation Controllers in an amount not to exceed $199,762.
2. That the City Council hereby authorizes the installation of the 39 Hydropoint
WeatherTrak Smart I rigation Controllers by Gardners Guild file. for a price not to
exceed the quote amount of $44,275. The City Council authorizes the Director to
approve change orders not to exceed 10% of the quote amount if necessary for field
conditions.
3. This resolution shall become effective immediately.
4. All portions of this resolution are severable. Should any individual component of this
resolution be adjudged to be invalid and unenforceable by a body of competent
jurisdiction, then the remaining resolution portions shall be and continue in full force and
effect, except as to those resolution portions that have been adjudge invalid. The city
Council of the City of Petaluma hereby declares that it would have adopted this
resolution and each section, subsection, clause, sentence, phrase, and other portion
thereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more section subsection, clause sentence,
phrase or other portion may be held invalid or unconstitutional.
ATTACHMENT I
QUOTATION
HYDROPOINT DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
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ATTACHMENT 2
QUOTATIONS
INSTALLATION
10
11
12
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ATTACHMENT 3
IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION SMART
WATER APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY
(SWAT)
14
IRRIGATION', 6540 Arlington Boulevard
ASSOCIATION
Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: 703-536-7080
www.irrigation.org
t
Testing Agency: Center for Irrigation Technology www.californiawater.or
Product: WeatherTKAIVm
Product Type: Climatologically Based Controller
Product Description: WeatherTRAK TM climatological adjustment uses WeatherTRAK ET
Everywhere'"' ET/rainfall data and WeatherTRAK Scheduling Engine'" to provide custom schedules.
See details on back page.)
SWAT'^ Protocol*: Turf and Landscape Equipment Climatologically Based Controllers 6' Draft Testing Protocol (December 1,
2004)
The concept of climatologically controlling irrigation systems has an extensive history of scientific study and documentation. The
objective of this protocol is to evaluate how well current commercial technology has integrated the scientific data into a practical
system that meets the agronomic needs of mrf and landscape plants. The evaluation is accomplished by creating a virtual
landscape subjected to a representative climate to evaluate the ability of individual controllers to adequately and efficiently irrigate
that landscape. After initial programming and calibration the controller is expected to perform without further intervention
during the test period. Performance results indicate to what degree the controller maintained root zone moistures within an
acceptable range. If moisture levels are maintained without deficit, it can be assumed the crop growth and quality will be
adequate. If moisture levels are maintained without excess it can be assumed that scheduling is efficient.
*All SWAT`" Protocol may be viewed at www.irrioation.orn
Wa-rw.�rtr► atton;pde
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Minimum of 6 test zones: 100%
Minimum of 6 test zones: 0%
Maximum of 6 test zones: 100%
Maximum of 6 test zones: 0%
Mean/Average of 6 test zones: 100%
Mean/Average of 6 test zones: 0%
Irrigation Adequacy represents how well irrigation
Irrigation Excess represents hoav much irrigation water
met the needs of the plant material. '11his reflects the
was applied beyond the needs of the plant material. This
percentage of required water for turf or plant material
reflects the percentage of water applied in excess of 100%
supplied by rainfall and controller -scheduled irrigations.
of required water according to data from CIMIS station
Research suggests that if this value is between 80% and
#75 Irvine, Orange County during the test period.
100%, the acceptable quality of vegetation will be
maintained.
Source
n
Data Link
Initial Purchase
Additional Additional Fees
7InstallationData
Hardware
Contactor or end
All Models:
Purchase price is
Optional wireless rain Annual subscription
user calls to activate
Wireless
based on number Of
or rain, wind, freeze signal fee. Aluld-
WeatherTR9K ET
network
zones. \Fireless
and flow sensor. wear package prices
Evea}whereTm
receiver is integral.
available.
new system.
800362$774
Additional Features
Zones
Time of
Day of
Other
If Data Link is
Day
Week
Discontinued
WeatherTR J,Jm:
Capable of
Capable of
❑ Includes copy button to simplify
If the ET Every�vhereT
9-48 stations;
restricting
restricting
programming
schedulingis
Indoor and
the time of
watering
❑ Remote Internet -based irrigation
discontinued it may be
Outdoor Mount
day for
days by
management via two-way wireless
used as a standard
Options
watering.
selection
❑ Standard program mode for plant
irrigation controller with
or interval
establishment
cycle and soak capability.
❑ Alert functionality
❑ Unlimited cycle and soak, and number of
YO Yams
Report Date: 01/09/2006 Full Technical SWAT Performance Report at www.irrioation.org
IRRIGATIONY 6540 Arlington Boulevard
ASSOCIATION ®� Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: 703-536-7080
www.irrigation.org
WeatherTRAK ET Everywhere TM
o Delivers daily ET updates via a wireless network for self-adjusting irrigation
scheduling based on changing weather.
o Collects data from more than 14,000 weather stations across the US including the
NOAA network, state and local networks and private weather stations.
o Applies scientific modeling techniques to validate local weather to 1 square kilometer.
WeatherTRAK Scheduling Engine TM
o Calculates irrigation schedules based on zone -specific, Irrigation Association
recommended parameters including plant, soil, slope, and sprinkler type.
o Supports user -defined water windows, water days and manual watering.
o Built in and customizable plant settings.
o Automated cycle and soak times according to soil and slope settings.
16
Report Date: 01/09/2006 Full Technical SWAT Performance Report at www.irrioation.oro