HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 7.B 02/07/20057.B
CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
AGENDA BILL February 7, 2005
Agenda Title: February 7, 2005: Presentation and Discussion on Meeting Date: February 7, 2005
the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility Project
February 28, 2005: Resolution Directing the Department of Water Meeting Time: ❑ 3:00 PM
Resources & Conservation to Solicit Bids for Construction of the ® 7:00 PM
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Category (check one): ❑ Consent Calendar ❑ Public Hearing ❑ New Business
® Unfinished Business ❑ Presentation
Department: Water Director: Contact Person: Phone Number:
Resources & Michael Ban, P.E. Margaret Orr, P.E. 778-4589
Conservation
Cost of Proposal: Construction Cost of $92.3 million Account Number:
C500402
Amount Budgeted: FY 04-05 Budget is $10.2 million Name of Fund:
Wastewater Utility Fund
Attachments to Aeenda Packet Item:
Agenda Report
Draft Resolution
Summary Statement: The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility represents a significant and valuable
investment by Petaluma. It will serve the needs of the community for 50 plus years, and help protect the
Petaluma River and the San Francisco Bay, as required by the Federal Clean Water Act. Through the
innovative use of polishing treatment wetlands and creative connection to Shollenberger Park and the
Petaluma Marsh, the facility will also serve as a valuable amenity for Petaluma. This project has benefited
from the support and input of interested community members and interested organizations, such as the
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation District and the California Coastal Conservancy.
Recommended Citv Council Action/Sua2csted Motion: City Management requests the City Council:
February 7, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility Project. No City
Council action is being requested at the February 7th Council meeting.
February 28, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility, and provide
direction on the resolution directing the solicitation of construction bids. The draft resolution
provided with this Agenda Report will be amended to reflect the City Council's direction.
City Management recommends the City Council proceed with development of Alternative 2 — Phase -In
Secondary Process for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility.
r
Riviewed by Finance Director: Reviewed by City Attornev: A r Cit Manager:
/ I Dat , j .,, Date: Date:
Tod v's Date: February 1, 2005 Revision # and Date Revised- File Code:s:\waterresources &
j # conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 -
construction\City Council\&bruary 7, 2005\agenda
report cover.doc
CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
AGENDA REPORT
FOR
February 7, 2005: Presentation and Discussion on the Ellis
Creek Water Reevelins Facilitv Proiect
February 28.2005: Resolution Directing the Department of
Water Resources & Conservation to Solicit Bids for
Construction of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facilitv
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility represents a significant and valuable investment
by Petaluma. It will serve the needs of the community for 50 plus years, and help protect
the Petaluma River and the San Francisco Bay, as required by the Federal Clean Water
Act. Through the innovative use of polishing treatment wetlands and creative connection
to Shollenberger Park and the Petaluma Marsh, the facility will also serve as a valuable
amenity for Petaluma. This project has benefited from the support and input of interested
community members and interested organizations, such as the Sonoma County
Agricultural Preservation District and the California Coastal Conservancy.
The City's path to development of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility has been
subjected to an extraordinary amount of public and professional scrutiny and review.
Since 1992, over 30 resolutions have been adopted on the project. The design has been
developed, reviewed and refined through a master plan, a project report, environmental
documentation, consultation with thirteen governmental regulatory agencies, three value
engineering efforts, a bidability and constructability review, preparation of a detailed cost
estimate, and preparation of plans (comprising over 750 drawings) and specifications
(comprising over 1,500 pages).
Key components of the project include:
A robust wastewater treatment system with the capacity to treat Petaluma's
wastewater through build -out of the General Plan (over 2 billion gallons of
wastewater annually)
Production of tertiary recycled water which can be used for irrigation of
landscaped areas to offset demands on the water supply
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Production of biosolids that can be beneficially reused instead of being disposed
at the landfill
Innovative use of natural wetland treatment systems to improve water quality
Since 1988 there have been several options proposed for treatment of Petaluma's
wastewater, including a 1988 proposal by the treatment plant operator, a privatization
proposal, and two designs submitted by the Sonoma County Water Agency. It is
important to remember that none of these options met the goals of the project, which is
why they were not selected.
A key factor to the success of this project is the ability to begin construction this summer.
This will allow the City to begin using the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility at or near
the time the existing wastewater treatment facility reaches its capacity, and will also serve
to reduce the impact of further unprecedented increases in the cost of construction
materials.
City Management requests the City Council:
February 7, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Project. No City Council action is being requested at the February 7th Council
meeting.
February 28, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling
Facility, and provide direction on the resolution approving Alternative 2 and
directing the solicitation of construction bids. The draft resolution provided with
this Agenda Report will be amended to reflect the City Council's direction.
City Management recommends the City Council proceed with development of Alternative
2 — Phase -In Secondary Process for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility.
2. BACKGROUND:
Petaluma's Water Recycling Facility is being developed under the following program:
► Phase 1 — Project Report
► Phase 2 —Project Development
► Phase 3 — Construction and Start-up
The City completed Phase 1 — Project Report on December 11, 2000, with City Council
approval of the water recycling facility project report. Work on Phase 2 — Project
Development, which includes predesign, permitting, design and funding, is nearly
complete.
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The purpose of this Agenda Report is to update the City Council on the status of the
Water Recycling Facility project and present the results of the work conducted in support
of Phase 2 — Project Development. This presentation and discussion will occur on
February 7`h. On February 28`h, City Management will request City Council approval to
solicit bids for construction of the project. As an introduction, this Agenda Report begins
with the reasons for replacing the City's existing wastewater treatment facility, followed
by a description of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility, and status of the
construction permitting process. Finally, a detailed analysis of the construction cost is
presented along with the estimated impacts to wastewater utility rates.
EXISTING WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
Petaluma's wastewater treatment facility provides services to the City of Petaluma and
the unincorporated Sonoma County community of Penngrove. The City began treating
wastewater in 1938, a time when less than 30% of all urban wastewater in the United
States was treated.
Wastewater treatment is conducted at two facilities: the Hopper Street Wastewater
Treatment Plant and the Lakeville Highway Pond Site. All wastewater is conveyed to the
Hopper Street plant through an underground network of 200 miles of collection system
pipeline. Up to 6 million gallons per day (mgd) of flow is treated at Hopper Street. All
flow exceeding 6 mgd is routed to the Pond Influent Pump Station (PIPS) and sent
directly to the oxidation ponds located on Lakeville Highway. Effluent from the Hopper
Street plant, which consists of approximately 2 mgd primary effluent, 2 mgd trickling
filter effluent and 2 mgd activated sludge effluent, is routed to the PIPS and sent to the
oxidation ponds. The oxidation ponds were constructed in 1972 to provide additional
treatment and storage before the effluent is disinfected and either discharged to the
Petaluma River in the winter or reused for agricultural irrigation in the summer.
Petaluma annually recycles approximately 35% of all wastewater treated at its facilities.
An upgrade to the PIPS was completed in 2001. This project increased the peak capacity
from 20 to 36 mgdl.
Existing Wastewater Treatment Facility at 950 Hopper Street
The wastewater treatment plant at 950 Hopper Street consists of several different types of
treatment systems built over many decades. The Hopper Street facilities consist of two
parallel plants: a trickling filter plant (built in stages in 1937 and 1953) and an activated
sludge plant (built in 1966). Hopper Street is located near downtown Petaluma and is
' The limited capacity of this pump station had resulted in overflows occurring in the sewer system during
wet weather events. These types of overflows have been reduced since the pump station was upgraded.
Additionally the pump station had no standby capability. This was remedied by the upgrade project.
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adjacent to the Petaluma River waterfront. Potential odors from the Hopper Street
facilities are a concern for existing and future neighborhood businesses.
Essentially all of the structural and many of the mechanical facilities at Hopper Street are
at or near the end of their useful life. Numerous repairs have occurred at the plant over
the last ten years. Many of the concrete structures have visible cracks and contusion and
were not built to current seismic standards. The underground piping is deteriorated and
prone to failure. If any of the buildings or structures were to be significantly altered or
modified, compliance with current building/structural codes would be required which
would be costly.
Preliminary and Primary Treatment
Raw wastewater entering the Hopper Street plant is limited to 6 mgd. All flows exceeding
6 mgd are routed directly to the oxidation ponds located at 4400 Lakeville Highway. All 6
mgd, or less, of wastewater flow is treated by the preliminary and primary treatment
facilities, which were constructed in 1966. The influent screening facilities have adequate
capacity for 6 mgd. However, the grit removal capacity has been rated at 4 mgd and the
primary clarifier capacity has been rated at 2.5 mgd. Consequently, the grit removal and
primary treatment facilities are overloaded under the current operation. The concrete in
these structures has cracking. Frequent repair and/or replacement of mechanical
equipment and piping have been necessary to maintain treatment capacity. In the last
three years, wall sleeves for piping connections for future tanks have failed. The facilities
have no provisions for odor control.
Activated Sludee Plant
The activated sludge system was constructed in. 1966 and is operated at 2.5 mgd. The
aeration tanks and support equipment have adequate capacity to operate at 2.5 mgd,
although the secondary clarifier performance degrades at flows greater than 2 mgd. The
aeration tanks have structural cracking. When the tanks were last dewatered, cleaned and
put back in service in 1985, leaking around the tanks was observed for the next 6 months.
Trickline Filter Plant
The trickling filter plant was constructed in two projects in 1937 and 1953 and is operated
at approximately 2 mgd. The piping and pumping systems are corroded and have
experienced failure. As -built drawings and plans for the trickling filter plant site are
incomplete, and the location of the underground piping and utilities are unknown. Recent
excavation work uncovered numerous pipes, electrical conduits, and gas lines that are not
recorded on any available drawings.
The original distribution arms for the filters were replaced in February 2000. During the
replacement work, the concrete crumbled when attempts were made to drill and bolt into
the existing concrete structure. Given the deteriorated condition of the concrete, the
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ability to rehabilitate the filters is questionable. The filter structures do not meet current
Uniform Building Code requirements and would have to be seismically upgraded. The
trickling filter media is the original rock media and much smaller than current design
standards would specify. The original underdrain system was constructed of "irrigation
grade rough redwood," and is likely to have deteriorated after over 60 years exposure to
wastewater. The ventilation is inadequate based on current standards and no provision is
provided for odor control.
The trickling filter plant is not very effective for wastewater treatment due to media type
and size, lack of ventilation and shallow depth. These factors coupled with the age,
physical condition of the structure and limited treatment capacity lead to a determination
that none of the trickling filter plant facilities are suitable for future use.
Solids Handline Facilities
The secondary anaerobic digester, originally constructed in 1937, has severe cracking and
leaking has been observed. Therefore, this structure has been abandoned for use as a
digester and currently acts as a sludge storage tank prior to dewatering. The primary
anaerobic digester, constructed in 1950, currently treats the primary sludge and secondary
sludge from the trickling filter plant. This structure reportedly has some structural
cracking. While the primary digester could potentially be reused after extensive upgrades
to meet current structural and uniform fire codes, its capacity is not large enough to treat
the quantity of sludge that would be generated by 6.7 mgd of primary and secondary
wastewater treatment. The earthen sludge lagoons / aerobic digesters have no provisions
for odor control. Based on the poor structural conditions, it is recommended that none of
the digestion or lagoon facilities be reused. The dewatering equipment consists of a
centrifuge, manufactured in 1963, and a trailer -mounted belt filter press, which was
installed for temporary use in 1995.
Summary of HovDer Street Facilities
A summary of the condition of the Hopper Street facilities and recommendations of
potential future use are listed in Table 1. Most facilities at Hopper Street site are not
suitable for any long term treatment alternative. New facilities would have to be
constructed. For most of the facilities, rehabilitation is not feasible. Other facilities may
be rehabilitated, but the costs of rehabilitation would likely exceed the costs of
constructing new, more reliable facilities. Continued use of the existing aged facilities
increases risk of failure, increases risk of permit violations, and increases costs for
operations and maintenance to upkeep and repair the crumbling infrastructure. The
existing administration and maintenance building, blower building, secondary clarifier,
old outfall 2 and belt filter press all may be reusable. Continued use of the existing
facility will not achieve the City's goal of providing long-term (25 to 50 years), reliable,
wastewater treatment.
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4400 Lakeville Highway
The facilities at 4400 Lakeville Highway consist of an aerated lagoon, oxidation ponds
and disinfection facilities, all built in 1972.
Oxidation Ponds
Wastewater from the PIPS at Hopper Street is pumped through a 14,100 -foot, 36 -inch
diameter forcemain to an aerated lagoon and Pond 1. Approximately 60 percent of the
flow goes directly to the aerated lagoon, while the other 40 percent goes to Pond 1. The
aerated lagoon is approximately 3 acres and is 16 ft deep. Aeration is provided by three
vertical 15 horsepower (Hp) surface aerators. The first oxidation pond (Pond 1) also has
surface aeration provided by four 15 Hp vertical aerators and three 10 Hp horizontal
aerators. Pond 1 is approximately 10 acres and 8 ft deep. The remaining ponds 2 through
10 provide further treatment and storage. Each pond is approximately 15 acres and the
depths vary from 5 to 11 ft. Approximately 1,300 acre -ft of volume is provided in Ponds
2 though 10. The full depth of the ponds cannot be used for active storage due to the
location of the water transfer structures. The usable volume provided in the ponds
provides storage from May through October when no discharge to the Petaluma River is
allowed. The storage is also used to balance the needs of the water recycling program
during the summer months.
Disinfection Facilities
The original disinfection facilities were constructed in 1972 and consist of a chlorine
contact basin and gaseous chlorine and gaseous sulfur dioxide facilities. In 2000 the City
completed the project to convert from a gaseous disinfection/dechlorination system to a
liquid system. This project improved worker and public safety. The chlorine contact
basin has a volume of 0.36 MG and will provide a contact time of 90 minutes at 8 mgd.
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Table 1
Summary of Hopper Street Treatment Facilities
Petaluma, California
FacilityI Date
Constructed
Headworks 1 1966
Primary Clarifier 1 1966
Primary Digester 1 1950
Secondary Digester 1 1937
1 Centrifuge 1 1963
Belt Filter Press I 1995
Primary Sedimentation 1937
Tank (2)
Primary Trickling Filters 1937
and Final Trickling Filter
Final Sedimentation Tank 1953
Aeration Basins (2) I 1966
1 Blower Building 1 1966
Blowers 1 1966 I
I Final Clarifier
1966
Secondary Sludge
1966
Structure
I
Aerobic Digester and
1966
Lagoons(2)
Pond Influent Pump
I 1972
Station
Electrical System I
1937-1966
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Assessment I Reason
Unusable
I Structural cracks; grit facilities sized for 4
mgd — inadequate capacity.
Unusable
I Structural cracks; unreliable for continued
long-term use.
Unusable
I Inadequate capacity; does not meet
_
structural/seismic: codes.
Unusable
Extensive structural damage; does not meet
stmcturallseismic codes; unheated.
Unusable
1 Inadequate capacity.
Useable
1
Unusable
I Inadequate capacity; does not meet
stmctural/seisiric codes.
Unusable
Inadequate capacity; does not meet
structural/seismic codes; poor ventilation;
deteriorating underdrains; media not
optimum size; source of odors with no
provisions for odor control.
Unusable
I
Inadequate capacity; does not meet
structural/seismic codes.
Unusable
I
Inadequate capacity; structural cracks;
unreliable for long-term use.
Usable
1 1
Unusable
End of useful life; inadequate capacity;
recent attempts at repair have not been
successful.
Usable I
Unusable 1 End of useful life.
Unusable. 1 Inadequate capacity; no odor control
UsableI Upgrade completed in 2001 will provide
another 30-50 years of operation.
UnusableI No capacity for additional loads without
upgrades; does not meet electrical codes.
Regulatory requirements for Petaluma's wastewater treatment facility are based on
federal, state and local regulatory agencies and regulations. Regulations apply to water
discharge, water reuse, biosolids reuse or disposal, air quality, and land use.
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Water Quality Requirements
Water quality requirements are set nationally by the Clean Water Act. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to regulate discharges to the waters of the
United States under the Clean Water Act. EPA also grants authority to state agencies for
regulation and enforcement of water quality standards. In California, the authority to
regulate discharges falls with the State Water Resources Control Board, which authorizes
Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs) to issue National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES), permits.
Existine NPDES Requirements
The City's existing NPDES permit (No. CA 0037810) was adopted on July 15, 1998 by
the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. The permit contains over
80 different compliance parameters. To confirm compliance with the permit, the City
regularly analyzes the wastewater effluent for over 180 constituents2, and reports the
results to the Regional Board each month. A few of the specific provisions of the permit
include:
The average dry weather flow shall not exceed 5.2 mgd. The average dry weather
flow is determined over three consecutive dry weather months each year.
Discharge to the Petaluma River is prohibited from May 1 through October 20.
Monthly average biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) no greater than 30 mg/L.
Monthly average total suspended solids (TSS) concentration no greater than 45
mg/L.
To meet the discharge prohibition, the City must store and recycle all its effluent during
the summer. Petaluma provides secondary recycled water for irrigation of 800 acres of
agricultural lands and Adobe Creek Golf Course 3.
The NPDES permit limits the City to an average dry weather flow of 5.2 mgd. To
accommodate build -out of the General Plan, the new Water Recycling Facility will
require an average dry weather flow capacity of 6.7 mgd. The City will have to apply to
the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for a new permit to increase the
capacity to an average dry weather flow of 6.7 mgd.
WHY DO WE NEED A NEW WATER RECYCLING FACILITY?
Now that we've covered how wastewater is treated in Petaluma and the regulatory
authority under which this treatment takes place, let's talk about why the existing
wastewater treatment facility is being replaced.
2 Example constituents include copper, mercury, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand,
dissolved oxygen, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PARS).
3 Irrigation of Rooster Run Golf Course is scheduled to begin in summer 2005.
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The Existing Facility is Operating Near Its Permitted Discharge Capacity
The permitted discharge capacity for Petaluma's wastewater treatment facility is an
average dry weather flow of 5.2 mgd. The average dry weather flow is the average daily
amount of wastewater that is treated by the wastewater treatment facility during the dry
weather months of the summer. In 1985, the average dry weather flow was 4.00 mgd.
This was the first time flows exceeded 75% of the permitted discharge capacity. In
response, the Regional Water Quality Control Board issued Order No. 90-153, which
included a time schedule for upgrading the wastewater treatment facility. At current
flowrates, it is estimated that the existing facility will reach the permitted discharge
capacity of 5.2 mgd between 2007 and 2009. This is illustrated on Figure 1. To treat
wastewater flows in excess of the permitted discharge capacity at the existing wastewater
treatment facility would constitute a violation of the City's NPDES permit. If this occurs,
the City could be subject to fines and other actions by the California Regional Water
Quality Control Board.
The Existing Facility is Near the End of Its Useful Life
Equipment has generally reached the end of its useful life when it becomes more cost
effective to replace it than repair it. This is the case with the existing wastewater
treatment facility. Table 1 provides a component -by -component review of the equipment
at the existing wastewater treatment facility. Even if the City were to undertake the
repairs described in Table 1, the facilities would not provide another 50 plus years of
reliable service due to their current condition. Facilities not at the end of their useful life
include the Pond Influent Pump Station, the Blower Building, and the belt filter press.
The Existing Facility Is Costly To Maintain
It is often said that the existing wastewater treatment facility is held together with "band-
aids and bailing wire." This statement is more a reflection of the difficulty of keeping an
aged facility operating than a reflection of the actual repairs implemented to maintain the
facility. Due to the volume of wastewater treated (nearly 2 billion gallons annually) and
the corrosive environment, repairs must be substantial and robust. As the existing
wastewater treatment facility nears the end of its useful life, the City finds itself
increasingly in the position of having to conduct more frequent and costly repairs in order
to continue treating the community's wastewater in accordance with the NPDES permit.
Table 2 summarizes some of the recent major maintenance projects constructed at the
facility.
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Figural. The City of Petaluma average dry weather flow (ADW F) projections based on annual growth ranging from 1% (blue) to 2% (green). The
City is permitted to discharge 5.2 mgd ADWF. If growth is 1.5% or less between now and the time the new recycling facility comes on-line then
enough permitted capacity is available to treat all the incoming wastewater.
Table 2
Summary of Recent Major Maintenance Repairs at the Wastewater Treatment
Facility
Petaluma, California
Date Description Cost
Purpose
1995 Trailer Mounted Belt Filter Press $239,000
Designed to improve solids
I
handling and reduce load on aging
centrifuge. The belt filter press
handles 90% of the solids.
1997 Installation of screen and compactor at $105,000
Improve treatment capability of
the Pond Influent Pump Station and
treatment plant and oxidation
upgrade/repair of the existing screen
ponds by removing large materials
and compactor at the influent
from wastewater.
headworks.
were prone to failure.
1998 Oxidation Pond Capacity Increase $283,000 As wastewater flows increase, more
load is placed on the oxidation
ponds. This project improved the
treatment capability of the
oxidation ponds.
1999 Influent Pump Station Upgrades $48,000 To improve control and reliability
of influent pump station. Included
replacement of electrical panels,
drives and motors.
2000 Trickling Filter Upgrade Project I $138,000 I Maintain treatment capability of
trickling filters. Replaced three
trickling filter distributor amu and
drive mechanisms.
2001
Replacement of Plant Influent Pumps,
$81,000
Improve reliability and
Return Activated Sludge Pump, and
performance of Influent and RAS
controls
Pumps. Replaced pumps had been
in operation for over 33 years and
were prone to failure.
2002
Biofilter Plant Primary Clarifier
$44,000
Repair of malfunctioning 1938
clarifier. Replaced the dnve unit,
drive motor and reconstructed top
sweeper arm. Replaced electrical
from unit to control panel.
2003
Blower Repairs
1 $110,000
1 Rebuilt blower.
2003
I Sludge PumpsI
$50,000
I Added sludge pumps to aerated
lagoon.
2004
I Control Building HVACI
$30,000
Upgraded heating & air
conditioning units.
Since the 950 Hopper Street facility is operating at capacity, more burden is placed on the
oxidation ponds as flows increase. As the loading to the oxidation ponds increases,
additional projects may be necessary to improve the treatment capacity of the ponds.
The Existing Plant Cannot Meet Permit Requirements
NPDES permits are designed to be stringent and to set a very high performance standard
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to protect water quality. Prior to the Year 2000, the Regional Board was given a certain
amount of discretion to address permit excursions. Since the Regional Board understands
that it is impossible to comply with an NPDES discharge permit 100% of the time, they
did not automatically fine agencies for occasionally exceeding the limits of their permit.
If an agency was recalcitrant, and did not demonstrate a diligent and good faith effort to
comply, the Regional Board would issue a fine.
In January 2000, a new California law became effective and radically changed how the
Regional Board addressed permit noncompliance. S13709, the Clean Water Enforcement
and Pollution Prevention Act, removed the Regional Board's penalty assessment
discretion and required the Regional Board to assess mandatory minimum penalties
(MMP) of $3,000 per violation of certain parameters of the NPDES permits. Regardless
of the level of exceedance, SB709 requires a fine to be issued.
From January 2000 through April 2004, the City was assessed mandatory minimum
penalties totaling $162,000 for fifty-four penalties°. The majority of these penalties were
the result of algae present in the effluent. Algae are a natural by-product of the
wastewater treatment process that occurs in the City's oxidation ponds. They provide
oxygen necessary for treatment, and also play a significant role in the reduction of metals
concentrations in the effluent. But they also contribute to higher total suspended solids
(TSS) concentrations in the effluent. During the warmer months of late spring, the TSS
concentration in the effluent increases primarily due to the presence of algae. It is not
uncommon for the effluent TSS concentration to exceed the permit limit of 45 mg/L
monthly average. The higher algae concentrations can also disrupt other treatment
processes, such as disinfection, making it difficult to maintain compliance with other
permit parameters.
Control of Odors Emanating from the Existing Plant is Limited
Like all wastewater treatment plants, the existing facility occasionally has odor issues.
Over time redevelopment has moved closer and closer to the wastewater treatment facility
at 950 Hopper Street. The Mary Isaac Center was recently constructed in the middle of
the wastewater treatment facility. Several odor complaints have been received from
nearby Hammer's Ski & Marine, Inc. A new fast food restaurant (In -N -Out Burger) is
currently being sited right next to Hammer's which will likely increase awareness of
odors emanating from the old facility. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(BAAQMD) has been contacted by Hammer's and inspectors have observed odors
coming from the old plant. If five complaints are received then a citation could be made
and fines could follow.
4 The total amount of $162,000 in penalties is the total of three different penalties that were assessed by the
Regional Board during the time period. The most recent penalty was $87,000. The City paid this penalty
and was reimbursed for the total amount by Veolia Water North America, the City's wastewater treatment
plant operator. $51,000 of this penalty was directed to supplemental environmental projects that will
benefit the Petaluma Watershed.
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Reuse of Secondary Recycled Water Is Limited
Secondary recycled water produced by the existing wastewater treatment facility is
suitable for irrigation of pasture and limited access golf courses. It is not suitable for
irrigation of parks, schools, and residential areas. It also cannot be used for process water
at the wastewater treatment plant.
In summary, the existing wastewater treatment facility needs to be replaced because it is
operating near its permitted discharge capacity, is near the end of its useful life, is costly
to maintain, cannot consistently meet NPDES permit limits, and does not produce tertiary
recycled water to augment the City's water supply.
ELLIS CREEK WATER RECYCLING FACILITY
This section presents the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility. We begin with a review
of the project's goals.
Goals of New Water Recycling Facility
In August 2002, the City Council certified the EIR for the project to construct a water
recycling facility to meet the following goals:
To develop an economically and ecologically sustainable water recycling facility
to accommodate growth and development anticipated by the City's General Plan.
To comply with Federal, State and regional air and water quality regulations
through appropriate design and operation of the water recycling facility.
Reliability and redundancy features will be included to be able to meet applicable
regulations consistently.
To replace or upgrade the existing wastewater treatment facility that is operating
near its capacity and the end of its useful life.
To protect the water quality of the Petaluma River and the San Francisco Bay by
continuing to conduct wastewater treatment in an environmentally sensitive
manner. The water recycling facility will include the additional steps of ammonia
removal to reduce the risk of ammonia toxicity in the river and polishing wetlands
to reduce effluent concentrations of metals, organics and nutrients.
To stabilize and treat the biosolids generated in the wastewater treatment process
to EPA's Class B standards for beneficial reuse of the biosolids.
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To produce tertiary recycled water in accordance with California Title 22 so water
can be recycled to irrigation users throughout the City 5.
To provide storage in the oxidation ponds during river discharge prohibitions
from May 1st to October 20th and to balance the recycled water program during
this non -discharge period.
To develop a facility that serves as an amenity to the community by providing
educational and recreational opportunities.
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility will meet these goals. This facility will be located
at 4104 Lakeville Highway, adjacent to the City's oxidation ponds. The existing wastewater
treatment plant, the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility and the oxidation ponds are shown
on Figure 2. The existing treatment facilities at 950 Hopper Street will be decommissioned,
excepting the Pond Influent Pump Station. In February 2004, the City acquired 262 acres of
land at 4104 Lakeville Highway with the assistance of grant funding from the Sonoma
County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and the California Coastal
Conservancy. The project site is shown on Figure 3.
Wastewater Treatment Capacity
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility will treat an Average Dry Weather Flow of 6.7
mgd. Depending on the rate of growth, it is estimated this capacity could be reached
sometime between 2019 (based on a growth rate of 2%) and 2034 (based on a growth rate of
1%). The City's water conservation program will support extending the life of this facility6.
These projections are illustrated on Figure I.
Short term peak hour flows can be much higher during extreme wet weather events, so the
treatment facilities are designed with sufficient hydraulic capacity to handle peak wet weather
flows. The existing Pond Influent Pump Station will remain at Hopper Street and will convey
wastewater collected in the City's sewer system to wastewater to the Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility. It has a maximum capacity of 36 mgd. Therefore, the Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility has been designed to handle a peak capacity of 36 mgd.
5 In 2004 the City installed a recycled water pipeline to Rooster Run Golf Course. Using tertiary recycled
water for irrigation of areas adjacent to this pipeline, including the treatment plant and Rooster Run Golf
Course, would offset demands on the City's potable water system by approximately 420 million gallons per
year. This is equivalent to the amount of water used annually by over 3,000 single family households.
Tertiary recycled water is an important component of the City's water supply.
6 Petaluma's conservation efforts through June 2004 save the City approximately 51 million gallons per
year (equivalent to the amount of water annually used
by approximately 380 single family households).
S9water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\StafT Report solicit
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Figure 2
LOCATION MAP
ELLIS CREEK WATER RECYCLING FACILITY
CITY OF PETALUMA
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Elements of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility includes the following combination of biological
and physical processes to remove organic material and pollutants from wastewater (these
facilities are shown on Figure 4):
Force Main
The existing force main (pipe carrying wastewater to the oxidation pond site) runs adjacent to
the old railroad right-of-way and crosses under Ellis Creek near Oxidation Pond No. 5. A
new 42 -inch diameter pipeline will tie into the existing force main to convey influent
wastewater to the headworks (see below) at the new facility.
Preliminary Treatment
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility's preliminary treatment process or "Headworks"
includes physical treatment to remove large particles and solids such as rags and plastic that
can clog pumps and subsequent treatment processes. Preliminary treatment facilities include
screening, grit removal, influent flow metering, and associated washers and compactors. The
headworks area will be equipped with odor control. These project elements allow the City to
meet regulatory requirements for influent flow monitoring and sampling and landfill
requirements surrounding grit and screenings.
Secondary Treatment
Following preliminary treatment, the effluent is conveyed to the secondary treatment
facilities, which include two oxidation ditches, two secondary clarifiers, and a secondary
sludge pump station. In the oxidation ditches, oxygen is supplied through rotating surface
disc aerators to microorganisms that use the waste in the water as food. The oxidation
ditches have a volume of three million gallons each. The secondary clarifiers are large round
basins (125 -feet in diameter) that provide a quiescent area for the microorganisms to settle
from the now clean water called secondary effluent. A pump station is used to return a set
amount of microorganisms to the oxidation ditch. Any excess microorganisms are pumped to
solids handling (described below). Secondary effluent is then pumped either to the oxidation
ponds for additional treatment, or to the tertiary facilities.
Solids Handling -
Solids materials removed in the preliminary and secondary treatment processes are pumped
to the solids handling system. The biosotids treatment system includes thickening, anaerobic
digestion, and dewatering.
Thickening is the first step in the solids handling process. This is accomplished with a
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North
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-Crossings J l I) Lakeville Highway
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Chlorine
Contact Basin
Figure 4
PROJECT ELEMENTS
ELLIS CREEK WATER RECYCLING FACILITY
CITY OF PETALUMA
gravity belt thickener (GBT). The excess microorganisms that grow each day in the
secondary treatment process are pumped to the GBT. These microorganisms are pulled from
the bottom of the secondary clarifiers (these are the big round quiescent basins that allow the
biosolids to settle) and consist of a solution that is about 0.5% solids and 95.5% water. This
stream is placed on a fabric material where some of the water is drained through the fabric.
The solids stream is about 4-6% solids after this unit operation. This process can produce
noxious odors and is therefore enclosed in a concrete building equipped with odor control.
The thickened solids are then pumped to digesters. The digesters convert bulky, odorous, and
putrescible raw biosolids to a well -digested material (disease causing bacteria are reduced as
part of this process) that can be further dewatered without emission of noxious odors. The
first digester is an acid phase digester in which an environment is provided for acid forming
bacteria to ferment hydrolysis products to acetic acid (vinegar). The next digester is a
methane digester in which methane bacteria use the vinegar and hydrogen produced in the
first reactor to produce methane and carbon dioxide. This methane digester is kept under
pressure and heated. The methane gas produced in the reaction is reused to heat a boiler
which keeps the digester temperature around 100nF which is an ideal environment for
methane producing bacteria to grow. The digestion process is similar to that of human
digestion, except food is not digested, biosolids are digested! Thus, the biosolids are reduced
in volume by about 40% in this reactor and disease causing bacteria are reduced to within
EPA standards for handling. The digested solids are conveyed into a storage tank for storage
and delivery to the next device described below. A digester control building, including boiler
facilities (to provide heat to the reactor as described above) will also be included. Any excess
methane gas is burned in a flare. The flare is stabilized with natural gas as needed through
automatic controls.
The digested solids are then sent to a mechanical device called a screw press for further
dewatering. The stabilized biosolids are thickened from 4-6% solids to 20-24% solids. This
stable product looks like soil and can be recycled by placing it on farm land (biosolids have
nitrogen in them and can be reused to minimize a farmer's need for chemical fertilizers) or
used as daily cover of garbage at the local landfill. This process will manage approximately
1,800 tons of biosolids annually. Odor control is provided in this building to reduce the
earthy/musty smell of digested biosolids.
The solids handling facilities will produce biosolids that met EPA's criteria for Class B
biosolids. Digestion is a cost effective means of producing Class B biosolids. Without the
volume reduction and stabilization steps provided through digestion, the City would have
approximately 100% more solids to dispose of and options for disposal would be limited to
recycling facilities owned by others or the landfill. The Federal Government does not
determine the manner in which biosolids are used or disposed. The Federal Government has
allowed this to be a local decision. The design provided allows the City options for recycling
the biosolds instead of only landfill disposal.
Odor Hardline Processes
The most common sources of odor are incoming raw wastewater and solids handling
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facilities. The project includes a biofilter to treat these potentially odorous air streams.
The biofilter is simply a bed of organic material, typically a mixture of compost and wood
chips or shreds. Air is pulled from the odorous areas and transferred to the biofilter. As
it passes through the biofilter the microbes on the organic material convert the odorous
gases to carbon dioxide and water. The media is changed every 3 — 5 years. These
facilities will be located near the eastern edge of the property, over 1,000 -feet away from
the business park.
Tertiary Treatment (Recvcled Water)
Tertiary treatment is accomplished using filtration to remove solids remaining after secondary
treatment and disinfection to meet the Department of Health Services (DHS) requirements for
unrestricted reuse. Unrestricted use means that the water can be used for irrigation of parks
and playgrounds, golf courses, school yards, flushing toilets and urinals, and structural fire
fighting. Filtration and disinfection facilities will consist of filter feed pump station, tertiary
sand filters, ultra violet (UV) light disinfection system and filter support building consisting
of chemical storage (alum and polymer are used during filtration to help remove any
remaining biosolids).
Because the City's existing National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit prohibits discharge to the Petaluma River from May I to October 20, all effluent must
be stored or reused during this period. Meeting the discharge prohibition requires careful
balancing of reuse, storage and river discharge immediately before and after the non -
discharge period. The existing oxidation ponds and wetlands provide adequate storage of
approximately 800 acre-feet of secondary water.
Oxidation Ponds
The oxidation ponds will remain an integral component of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling
Facility7. For the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility, the oxidation ponds will continue to
provide storage of secondary -treated effluent to meet the discharge prohibition and balance
the recycled water program, provide treatment of wet weather peak flows, and polishing of
the effluent to reduce metals concentrations during the river discharge season. The pond
aeration system will be upgraded and capacity expanded by adding aerators to handle peak
flow.
Treatment Wetlands (All?ae Removal)
Algae are naturally generated in the oxidation ponds as part of the treatment process. These
algae will be removed to meet discharge and reuse requirements using a wetlands treatment
system. Oxidation Pond Nos. 9 and 10, the last two in the sequence of ponds, will be
converted into approximately 30 acres of densely vegetated treatment wetlands. The wetland
7 The City's oxidation ponds provide many benefits, including enhanced removal of metals. Napa
Sanitation District recently attempted to remove their oxidation ponds from their treatment process and had
difficulty meeting treatment standards for metals.
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plants create a dark zone in which algae can no longer photosynthesize. This causes the algae
to die off and settle, clearing the water of its murky green color (from algae not wastes in the
water) and allowing disinfection chemicals to work better prior to discharge. Hence, these
wetlands are necessary to meet disinfection requirements prior to discharge.
Polishine Treatment Wetlands
Following treatment in the treatment wetlands, the highly treated effluent will be treated in
thirty acres (wetted area) of polishing treatment wetlands. The polishing treatment wetlands
will be located on land acquired with the assistance of grant funding from the California
Coastal Conservancy. The City's decision to use polishing treatment wetlands was
instrumental in attracting Coastal Conservancy funding.
The polishing treatment wetlands will reduce metals, organic compounds, and nutrients prior
to discharge. Water to the polishing wetlands will meet disinfected, secondary effluent
standards. The wetland berms will be open to the public for use as &ails. In addition to
improving water quality, the polishing treatment wetlands will provide habitat for wildlife .8
The polishing treatment wetlands also help offset some construction costs in that soil not
appropriate for building on (called spoils) can be used to form the wetland berms, instead of
being hauled off-site for disposal.
River Discharee and Disinfection
Disinfection is currently provided using sodium hypochlorite and sodium bisulfite at the
existing chlorine contact basin located at the southeastern end of the oxidation ponds. The
existing sodium hypochlorite/sodium bisulfite system will continue to be used for agricultural
reuse (restricted use recycled water) and during the winter discharge period. Revisions will
be made to the hypochlorite system, electrical equipment, control system, and discharge
configuration to meet regulatory requirements for flow monitoring.
Storaee Reservoir and Pumn Station
A one million -gallon recycled water storage reservoir will be located adjacent to the
Administration Building. A recycled water pump station will be constructed distribute
recycled water in support of the water recycling facility and the City's water recycling
program9. Half the water in the reservoir will be reserved at all times for the Ellis Creek
Water Recycling Facility's fire suppression system. To conserve water supply, recycled
water will be used for pump seals, wash down water, irrigation, toilet flushing, and the
building cooling system. This system is an integral part of the recycling facility. It will save
the City approximately 500,000 gallons per day of potable water use. Wastewater facilities
are notoriously high water consumers due to process requirements.
e The City's oxidation ponds also provide habitat for wildlife, including ducks, geese, and pelicans.
9 Petaluma's Recycled Water Master Plan will be presented to the City Council at a later date.
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Operation. Lab. Maintenance and Administration Building
Operation of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility will be conducted by
approximately fourteen employees (this is two fewer employees than the Hopper Street
treatment facility). These employees may be City employees or, as is the case with the
existing wastewater treatment facility, employees of a private contract operations firm.
Fewer employees are driven by state-of-the-art monitoring and control. The roles and
responsibilities of the employees are summarized below:
Plant Manager. This position will be responsible for regulatory reporting,
maintenance planning and oversight, personnel, budget and capital improvement
planning and execution, along with safety and emergency response.
Assistant Plant Manager. This person will be responsible for plant operations
and process control, solids disposal, sampling and testing including quality
assurance and quality control, industrial and commercial monitoring and
inspections.
Lead Operators. Three lead operators will provide daily inspections and
process activities, pond and recycled water operations, sample collection at the
plant and within the industrial and commercial setting, provide routine process
control and some regulatory lab work, direct other operators, enter lab data in the
process database, and enter plant readings into the process database.
Plant Operators. Three plant operators will take direction from the lead
operators and will typically be responsible for one of the following areas within
the plant: secondary treatment, solids handling, or discharge/recycle. One
operator in training is provided since the first wave of retirements from the
"baby -boom" generation, those born between the mid -1940s and early 1960s will
begin in earnest within the next 5 years. In preparation, utilities are "growing
their own" operating staff. The average age of wastewater staff in California is
47 and between 60%-65% of supervisory staff is anticipated to retire within 5
years.
Office Professional. An office professional will prepare correspondence,
process receiving slips, track employee attendance, answer phones, track
purchases, provide high level support for regulatory report generation and assist
with regulatory database management, and maintain a regulatory compliance
library for housing of the legal documents that track plant performance. Some
documents must be kept for the "life of the facility" while many others must be
housed for 5 years.
Lab Technician. The lab technician will perforin routine process and regulatory
testing, implement and follow quality assurance and quality control procedures,
provide industrial and commercial sampling and inspections, train operators in
basic test procedures, and document bench data and chain -of -custody records as
required by the regulating agencies. The lab technician will support the
following regulated programs: wastewater, water, storm water, collection
system, recycled water, and the Federal Pretreatment Program (industrial and
commercial monitoring). This area is always expanding as pollutants of concern
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are identified and then regulated. It is likely that the combination of the increase
in regulation of all the above listed programs will necessitate the addition of a
second lab technician in the coming years.
Electrical Instrumentation Technician. An electrical instrumentation
technician will perform preventative maintenance on electrical and
instrumentation equipment, perform routine calibration on instruments, oversee
outside vendor calibrations as required by the Regional Board, provide corrective
maintenance as required, and assist in maintenance and operational activities as
needed.
Mechanics. One lead mechanic will perform predictive and preventative
maintenance on mechanical equipment, oversee outside vendor preventative
maintenance (large pumps, etc.), direct the plant mechanic, and assist with
electrical and operational activities as needed. One plant mechanic will take
direction from the lead mechanic and will provide preventative maintenance on
mechanical equipment, and support electrical and operational activities as
needed.
A building for operations, laboratory analyses, maintenance, and administration will be
constructed to support these activities. The laboratory will serve Petaluma's water, storm
water, wastewater, collection system, recycled water, and industrial analytical needs. Also
included in the operations area of the building is a state-of-the-art control system. The
system will provide monitoring and control of the new facilities 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
During off hours, the control system will call the operator if a priority alarm rings.
Programming of the control system will be a companion project bid separately from this
project. The anticipated cost of programming has been included in the overall cost model for
the project. The maintenance area of the building includes a garage for operating equipment
maintenance, parts storage and instrumentation support.
Access to the Ellis Creek Water Reccecline Facilitv
From Lakeville Highway there are two entrances into the oxidation pond site: East Gate and
West Gate. These gates will remain, although the West Gate will be used only for emergency
access. The current access to 4144 Lakeville Highway is located adjacent to the existing farm
house: one driveway is used for the residence and one drive is used for access to the
agricultural fields. A new entrance into 4104 Lakeville Highway will be constructed to the
west of the existing farmhouse, as shown on Figure 4. Due to the speed and volume of
traffic on Lakeville Highway, access to the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility will be
provided as follows:
A new access road through the Oakmead Northbay Business Park will be constructed
from the cul-de-sac off Cypress Drive to 4104 Lakeville Highway. This road will
provide access to the water recycling facility. This road will be used during
construction and by staff and the public during operations. The traffic light into and
out of the business park at McDowell Boulevard will facilitate safe access.
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The new entrance into 4104 Lakeville Highway from Lakeville Highway will include
a right -turn lane from Lakeville Highway for east -bound right turns into the site, and
an acceleration lane will be added for right turns out of the site for east -bound traffic.
Caltrans has notified the City that they have no funding to bring roadways up to standard
and have decided to achieve standards by having each project granted a permit for work
on roads in their jurisdiction invest in the roads adjacent to the work for their individual
project. As mentioned above, the City needs to add a right turn lane into the new site on
Lakeville Highway and an acceleration pocket. Caltrans recently indicated that the City
will need to expand the lanes in front of the new plant from eleven feet to twelve feet to
meet Caltrans standard. This new information about Lakeville Highway required
improvements will be designed separately and bid as a companion project to this
construction contract. This work has been included in the project cost estimate.
Public Access. Habitat and Communitv Amenities
Grant funds from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and
the California Coastal Conservancy will support development of the following:
A trail link to Shollenberger Park.
Two point access trails to Ellis Creek.
Trail through agricultural field to tertiary recycled water reservoir.
Parking for 80 cars, including 10 spaces for oversized vehicles.
Trial linking the polishing wetlands to the river. This access trail into the Petaluma
Marsh is designed along an existing raised road.
The cost of these enhancements has been deducted from the project construction costs
because they will be grant funded.
PERMITTING
It is difficult to underestimate the amount of permitting necessary for a project.of this
magnitude. Through the permitting effort the City has consulted with thirteen different
government regulatory agencies (including the City of Petaluma). Each agency has a
particular interest, focus and desire on this project, which are often at odds with other
regulatory agencies and the goals of Petaluma. The City has worked diligently to strike a
balance between the City's goals and the requirements of the regulatory agencies. This
section briefly describes the permitting and regulatory consultation process.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A Section 404 Individual Permit was applied for on September 6, 2004 regarding
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potential impacts to jurisdictional wetlands. The Army Corps of Engineers sent out a
required Public Notice on January 20, 2005. The City anticipates the permit will be
issued between April 29, 2005 and June 16, 2005. This permit allows the City to fill
wetlands or waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act. The project is
estimated to require up to 4.24 acres of temporary wetland disturbance and 2.87 acres of
permanent disturbance to jurisdictional wetlands10 of the United States. Mitigation
wetlands totaling 3.12 acres will be created to offset the permanent impact (final approval
is pending permit approval). The Corps and Regional Board Water Quality Control
Board typically require a 2:1 or more mitigation ratio, but may accept a lower ratio of
mitigation wetlands to permanently disturbed wetlands given the low quality of the
wetlands being taken. The project includes the creation of approximately 30 wetted acres
of polishing treatment wetlands that will be used for wastewater treatment and will
provide wildlife habitat. Since the polishing treatment wetlands will be managed for
wastewater treatment as well as habitat, the Corps and Regional Board has asserted that
they will not qualify as mitigation for the lost wetlands.
Before granting a permit, the Corps will ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the
California Office of Historic Preservation, and the California Regional Water Quality
Control Board to concur with their decision to issue the permit.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Since there are potential impacts to species or migratory fish listed under the Federal
Endangered Species Act, a consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
has been initiated. The City prepared a Biological Assessment to determine if the project
may affect any of the threatened, endangered, or candidate species known to occur in the
footprint of the construction area, or in the immediate vicinity of the construction area.
The Corps of Engineers has reviewed the Biological Assessment and in October 2004
forwarded the document to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with a
recommendation that a finding of no adverse effect be made. The Biological Assessment
is currently being reviewed by USFWS.
The Biological Assessment was prepared in accordance with legal requirements set forth
under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and follows standards set forth by the
USFWS. Seven federally -listed animal species and one candidate species were identified
as either present or potentially present within the project area. Four species with
threatened or endangered status with the State of California were also included in the
10 These jurisdictional wetlands are variously referred to as "degraded farmed wetlands." They have been
farmed for at least 50 years. Nonetheless, the Corps has asserted their jurisdiction over the wetlands and is
requiring mitigation for any disturbance that occurs. They have regarded the City's mitigation plan very
favorably.
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Biological Assessment to expedite review by the California Department of Fish and
Game (CDFG). The threatened or endangered species that are known to occur or could
potentially occur on the site are as follows: Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, California
Clapper Rail, Bald Eagle, Western Snowy Plover, California Freshwater Shrimp,
California Red -legged Frog, Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, California Black Rail,
American Peregrine Falcon, and the Little Willow Flycatcher.
USFWS's initial position was to deny all public access to the trail on the southern most
section of the site during the breeding season of the endangered Clapper Rail (from
January 15 until August 31 each year). The Clapper Rail was put on the Endangered
Species List on October 13, 1970. Even though the species has been protected for more
than 30 years, only 600 individuals are thought to reside in the wild wetland areas of
northern California. Coastal development has damaged more than 90% of the native
costal wetlands threatening the destruction and degradation of the Clapper Rail habitat.
The Rail is subject to predation by the non-native red fox, feral cat, and various native
mammals. The USFWS has characterized the Petaluma Marsh area as one of the highest
thriving Clapper Rail habitats in the Bay Area. USFWS has full legal authority to protect
endangered species and has in most cases denied any and all access to breeding areas.
After meetings with USFWS and extensive explanations of the City's goal to provide
public access, the following concessions were gained from USFWS by the City.
To avoid any potential impacts to the Clapper Rail, construction will occur either
during the non -breeding season (September 1 — January 14) as prescribed by
USFWS or at a distance greater than 200 feet from potential Rail habitat.
Resurfacing of the trail will occur after the breeding season has ended on August
31.
Maintenance will occur after the breeding season has ended on August 31 (unless
outside of the 200 -foot boundary).
Use of a portion of the trail will be limited during the first two months of the
Clapper Rail breeding season (1/15 to 3/15). During this time, four passive
surveys would be conducted to determine if Clapper Rails are breeding within 200
feet of the trail. If nesting Rails are found, the trail from the area of the nest to the
River would be closed to the general public for the remainder of the breeding
season (until August 31). However, access on this portion of the trail would be
permitted for groups led by trained docents. Groups would primarily consist of
school groups and birders. Docents would ensure that groups are quiet and stay
on the trail. If no nesting Clapper Rails are found within 200 feet of the trail, it
would be open to the general public for the rest of the year.
Dogs will be prohibited on the trails of the Petaluma Marsh at all times of the
year. USFWS does not allow predators such as dogs near endangered species at
any time.
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Signage will be installed in the public parking area and at the trailhead defining
the access restrictions (no dogs, seasonal docent -led tours only, etc.) and
describing the life cycle and importance of the Clapper Rail and other endangered
species known to occur on the site.
California State Office of Historic Preservation
The California Office of Historic Preservation is responsible for administration of federal
and state mandated historic preservation programs in California. Before granting a
permit, the Corps will ask for this agency to concur with their decision to issue the
permit. The City will need to manage the historical and archaeological resources on the
property in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as
implemented by the State Historic Preservation Officer. The City's initial Draft Cultural
Report, which was submitted in October 2004 as part of the City's application for a State
Revolving Fund loan, was rejected by the State Water Resources Control Board's
Cultural Resources Officer (Resources Officer). The State Water Board is involved
because they must also comply with the National Historic Preservation Act since the State
Revolving Loan is a Federal funding mechanism. The Resources Officer visited the site
and rejected the conclusions of the report. A second report prepared by the City was
accepted by the Resources Officer in January 2005. The preliminary recommendations
of the report indicate that the Masciorini Ranch, which was established at 4104 Lakeville
Highway in the 1920s, may be eligible for listing in the National Historic Register for its
close association with activities that defined the agricultural identity of Sonoma County
and that the Masciorini residence may be eligible for listing in the National Register as a
"fine" example of the Prairie style of architecture popular from 1900 to 1920. Thus, the
City is in the process of developing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in which the
State Water Resources Control Board, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the
California State Historic Preservation Officer will be signatory parties and the City of
Petaluma will be a concurring party. State Historic Preservation Officer approval of the
MOA is anticipated between April 10, 2005 and June 9, 2005. The anticipated mitigation
to be outlined in the MOA may be that the City must record the history of any areas of the
site that will be changed, develop a pamphlet documenting the history of the site, and
perform any required maintenance on the farm house. This project will not impact the
farm house, but will impact other degraded buildings on the site.
California Department of Transportation
The improved entrance from Lakeville Highway (State Highway 116) requires an
encroachment permit. As stated previously, this work will be done as a companion
project.
27
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State Water Resources Control Board
The primary source of funding for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility project will
be a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan. The SRF program is administered by the State
Water Resources Control Board, and provides low interest (less than 3%) loans to public
agencies engaged in water utility projects. The State has indicated they will have bond
proceeds in May/June or July/August to fund the project. The City can obtain a line of
credit, if needed, once the Board agrees to fund the project. Thus, funding is not
anticipated to delay a summer construction start date. The State Water Resources Control
Board is currently reviewing the plans and specifications for the new facilities.
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game issued a Streambed Alteration Agreement
to Petaluma on December 16, 2004. This Agreement allows the City to install piping
below Ellis Creek in two locations. The Department of Fish and Game will also review
the Biological Assessment regarding state -listed endangered species.
California Department of Health Services
The California Department of Health Services has required the City to prepare an
Engineering Report regarding the City's recycled water program and the use of tertiary
recycled water. Approval of procedures for production and distribution of recycled
water will allow the City to distribute tertiary recycled water as soon as it is available.
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
The City currently has a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit (No. CA 0037810) and Waste Discharge Requirements (Regional Board Order
No. 98-076) that describe permit conditions for its existing conveyance, treatment and
disposal facilities. The requirements have been established for permitted flows up to 5.2
mgd ADWF. The new recycling facility will have the capability to treat an average dry
weather flow of 6.7 mgd. The permit will need to be amended for the Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility. The current permit expired on July 15, 2003, but was extended by
the Regional Board pending the hiring of additional staff to work on the renewal.
The City currently has a Water Reclamation Permit under Regional Board Order No. 88-
036. This order allows the City to recycle secondary treated water. The City is in the
process of developing a Notice of Intent which will allow the City to recycle secondary
and tertiary recycled water under a General Water Reuse Board Order No. 96-011.
Development of the Notice of Intent was begun in December 2004 and is anticipated to
28
S'\water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\CityCouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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be submitted to the Board by June 2005.
The City is pursuing permission to fill approximately 2.87 acres of jurisdictional wetlands
which are waters of the United States. The Regional Board is expected to approve a
Section 401 Water Quality Certification between March and May 2005 to the City. The
Corps will wait to see the recommendations of the Regional Board before they issue their
permit.
The City has prepared a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) in pursuit of an
NPDES General Construction Storm Water Permit. The plan is kept at the construction
site and the Notice of Intent will be sent to the Regional Board 30 days prior to the start
of construction.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The City has submitted an Authority to Construct permit application to the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The City is anticipating the permit for
construction by March 2005. The City will submit a permit to operate closer to the start
up of the facilities.
Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District
The City has worked closely with the District to review the Management Plan for the
wetlands and ponds.
County of Sonoma
The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) needs to approve annexation of
4104 Lakeville Highway into the City of Petaluma. The Petaluma City Council is
scheduled to formally approve this action on February 7, 2005. LAFCO will take action
60-90 days later. The project requires annexation in order to receive a building permit for
construction to begin.
Sonoma County Water Agency
The Sonoma County Water Agency will issue an encroachment permit for work in Ellis
Creek. The City is working on this permit application.
City of Petaluma
Petaluma's Site Plan and Architectural Committee (SPARC) approved the project on
29
S \water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005Staff Report solicit
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November 18, 2004. The Petaluma Planning Commission recommended the City
Council approve the General Plan Amendment to the land use designation of
Public/Institutional, Prezoning to Planned Community District (PCD) and Rezoning from
Agricultural to Planned Community District (PCD), modification of the Urban Growth
Boundary (UGB), and Annexation to the City of Petaluma on December 14, 2004. The
City Council is scheduled to formally accept the recommendations of the Planning
Commission on February 7, 2005.
CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE
This section presents the estimated construction cost of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling
Facility, and the rates necessary to support this project, other planned capital
improvements for the wastewater utility, and operation and maintenance of the
wastewater utility.
Since January 2002, when the City Council adopted the design parameters for the new
facility, the project has been further refined, detailed and designed. In this same time
period the construction industry has experienced an unprecedented rise in the cost of
construction materials. This section examines how the project has improved since
January 2002, the changes in the construction industry, and their impact on the Ellis
Creek Water Recycling Facility's anticipated construction cost.
In November 2002, after the City completed approximately 50% of the design of the
facility (to be located at the oxidation pond site), the City undertook a second value
engineering effort. The results of the value engineering effort were presented to the City
Council in November 2002. The estimated construction cost for the project, based on the
50% design drawings, was approximately $98.04 million. The value engineering effort
reduced those costs to approximately $72.91 million. Subsequent to the value
engineering effort, the City determined to locate the water recycling facility at 4104
Lakeville Highway. This change reduced the estimated project cost to $67.6611 million in
2002 dollars. Shortly after City Council authorization to locate the water recycling
facility to 4104 Lakeville Highway in August 2003, the City began final design of the
facility. In February 2004, the City acquired the 262 acres of land at 4104 Lakeville
Highway.
As the City proceeded with design of the facility through the spring of 2004, City
Management became aware of recent rapid changes in the construction market. The bid
price for a wastewater treatment facility project for the City of Tracy came in 20% higher
than the engineer's cost estimate. These and other factors prompted City Management to
t t This estimate was likely 20% - 30% low, and did not account for the rapidly changing construction
market.
30
S \water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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conduct a detailed bidability/constructability review of the project and prepare a detailed
cost estimate, approaching the project from a contractor's perspective. The City Council
approved this approach in June 2004.
As shown in Table 3, the opinion of probable construction cost for the Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility is $102 million. The total estimated project cost, including
construction management, engineering services during construction, construction,
administration, and General Fund transfer of 5%, is approximately $130 million.
Table 3
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Opinion of Probable Construction Costs
Description Estimated Cost ($millions)
Construction $102
Project Administration, Construction $12.4
Management, Engineering Services During
Construction
Subtotal $114.4
Construction Contingency $10.2
General Fund CIP Overhead $5.7
Total $130.3
Unprecedented Rise in Cost of Construction Materials Increases Cost of Projects
It is important to remember the $67.66 million cost estimate was based on drawings and
specifications prepared at the 50% level. All of the information on the project was not
available. It is more difficult to accurately predict the cost of a construction project based
on 50% plans and specifications than 100% plans and specifications. The 50% cost
estimate had an accuracy range of -15% to + 30%, which means the estimate could have
been as high as $87.9 million (+ 30%). The 50% estimate was also prepared before the
unprecedented rise in the cost of construction materials occurred.
Many wastewater treatment facility projects have experienced unexpectedly high bid
prices due to materials price inflation and the active construction climate. The
Department of Water Resources and Conservation has been tracking other projects as bid
information becomes available. As shown in Table 4, these wastewater treatment plant
projects have bid at prices over the estimated price, from 18% for the City of Rio Vista's
wastewater treatment plant to 33% for the City of San Jose's project. The root cause of
these problems is a global supply and demand issue.
31
S'\water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\CityCouncil\February 7, 2005\.Staff Report solicit
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Table 4
Agency Estimates of Project Construction Costs
Versus Low Bid Price
ProjectI Estimate
Low Bid
% Difference
($millions)
I ($millions)
I
City of San Jose's 160 mgd $52.3
$69.5
33%
Headworks Facility
I
City of Tracy WastewaterI $54
$64.5
19%
Expansion
I
I
City of Rio Vista Northwest $21
$24.8
18%
W WTP
I
Tahoe -Truckee SanitaryI $40.7
$51.5
27%
Agency WWTP Expansion I
�City ofCoachella, CAWWTP $16.1 I
$20.5
27%
City of Auburn, CA Vater $22
$27.4
25%
Treatment Facility Expansion I
I
China is beginning to develop their entire country. .It is estimated that China is starting
development of a city the size of Houston each month. The development boom began
with the Olympic Games scheduled for China in 2008. This explosive growth within
China has caused China alone to consume 20% of the world's steel supply. Estimators
call it the "China Factor!" Since demand for steel is so high, the cost of steel has
increased 50% since October of 2003 (see Figure 5). The cost of stainless steel has
increased 100%. Steel reinforcement bars (rebar) are used to strengthen concrete
structures. Steel is also used in pipes (carbon steel and stainless steel), conduit, valves,
structural shapes, and numerous other appurtenances. Since the United States is no
longer a steel producing country our projects get in line with everyone else. Forming
materials (lumber) have been increasing at a rate of 20% each year. The cost of concrete
has followed the supply shortages and increased in price by 39%. This is illustrated on
Figure 6. Concrete pricing was stable for 10 years prior to the shortages observed in
2004.
Another factor affecting pricing is that many components of the United States
infrastructure are at the end of their useful life. Couple failing infrastructure with
historically low interest rates, capital planning and subsequent expenditures are at a very
high level. For instance, 13 major projects are bidding in Northern California during this
first quarter of 2005 alone. These projects total in the hundreds of millions of dollars. A
Public Works boom is coming in California with 18 billion dollars of bond money
planned through 2006-2007.
32
SAwater resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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$3.50 .
w $2.50
w
$1.00
Aug -03 Oct -03
FIGURE 5
STEEL
STEEL
COST INCREASE INDICATOR
t Structural Steel, SIW
--0E— 316 Stainless Steel, $/LS
Nov -03 Jan -04 Mar 04 Apr -04 Jun -04 Aug -04 Sep -04 Nov -04
FIGURE 6
CONCRETE
CONCRETE
COST INCREASE INDICATOR
$900
$850
$800
$750
w
4 $700
$650
October 2003
Ready -Mix
ICY
$78.21
$600 Reinforcing Steet,erials $ tS $0.26
1.93
Forming Materials, $/SF $1.93
$550
January 2064
$500 Ready -Mix, $ICY $78.21
Reinfoning Steet, $1LB $0.31
Fomtlng Materials, $/SF $2.2D
$450
$400
Aug -03 Oct -03 Nov -03 Jan -04 Mar -04
October 2004
Ready -Mix, $/CY $80.00
Reinforcing Sliest, $/LB $0.51
Forming Materials, $/SF $2.32
II
1
t 12" Concrete Wall in Place, $/CY
Apr -04 Jun -04 Aug -04 Sep -04 Nov -04
The result of so much work and the short supply is that many suppliers cannot commit to
fixed prices or to delivery times. A Senior Sales Engineer for a Portland Steel Pipe
supplier told the Carollo Engineer estimator that the price of his products has gone up
from $0.74/Lb in fall 2003 to $1.15/Lb (55% increase) in late summer 2004, and prices
were still rising. When the Sales Engineer was asked about the future, his answer was
that he will quote on a 3 -day basis, and is considering adding a disclaimer to all quotes.
His opinion was that prices will continue to rise until at least mid -2005.
The combination of lower supply and higher demand for construction materials and a
very active construction market creates a level of uncertainty for agencies and contractors
who bid their projects. Contractors must submit fixed bids without cost certainty and
with unreliable delivery schedules. The bonding sureties are also tightening their
coverage requirements due to the market conditions. The volume of work also allows
contractors to choose which jobs they will bid. Contractors are being very selective since
preparing a bid document is a costly endeavor. For instance, a project of our size will
cost near $100,000 for a general contractor to bid. Contractors are dealing with the risks
by conducting monthly market surveys and pressuring their sub -contractors to lock down
prices and delivery times. Contractors are also working on their schedules paying
particular attention to delivery analysis.
To address the issues of risk for the City, the City Council approved a contract with the
City's construction management firm, The Covello Group. A team of construction
experts from The Covello Group, with numerous years' experience in the construction
industry, conducted a `Bidability and Constructability" review of project. Through this
review, over 1,500 detailed comments were made on the 90% design documents 12.
Follow up reviews are on-going as the design is finalized. As a companion project, the
City hired The Covello Group to use their construction expertise to provide an opinion of
probable construction cost. The cost estimate provided to City Council today exemplifies
the teamwork of The Covello Group looking at the design as a general contractor would
and utilizing the equipment cost expertise provided by Carollo Engineers. Thus, the City
has likely reduced the risk of bids higher than anticipated because the engineering
drawings and specifications are of a high quality and the cost estimating has been
thoroughly updated for the current market conditions. The City has also generated
interest in this project by prequalifying contractors to bid the project. The City has
prequalified six competent, experienced and skilled general contractors. A delay in the
12 Given the complexity of large wastewater treatment projects, it is extremely difficult to prepare plans and
specifications that are without need for refinement. Most agencies elect to accept this risk and deal with the
consequences during the bid period (issue addendums) or during construction (issue numerous change
orders). Petaluma chose a different path in an effort to minimize risk during the bid period and
construction.
35
SAwater resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City Council\February 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
blds.final.2-1-04.doc
bidding of the project could reduce this pool of potential bidders if the general contractors
were to bid other work and become too busy to bid the City's project.
Final Design Improvements and Regulatory Mandates
The $67.66 million estimate of 2002 was based on 50% design documents for design of
the project at the oxidation pond site. As design progressed, it became apparent that a
few changes were necessary to improve the performance of the facility and accommodate
regulatory requirements. These improvements are summarized in Table 5.
Table 5
Estimated Cost of Performance Improvements and
Additional Regulatory Requirements
ItemI
Comment
I Estimated Cost
($millions)
Jurisdictional Wetlands
Project amended to accommodate increasedI
$5
acreage of jurisdictional wetlands asserted by
I
the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Oxidation DitchI
Improvements to performance of oxidation
$1
ditches I
Secondary Clarifiers
Increased size of secondary clarifiers toI
$1.5
improve performance.
Effluent Capacity
Increased capacity of effluent discharge system.
$1
Solids Dewatering
I Replaced centrifuge with screw press(increased
$0.2
capital cost, but lower O&M cost). I
Digester Improvements
Performance improvements to the digester
$2.25
system. I
Recycled Water
Increased discharge pressure of recycled waterI
I
$0.25
Improvements
system.
Electrical
Improvements to reliability of electrical system.
$0.55
Buildings
Electrical buildings and admin building.
$2.5
Environmental
Address endangered species issues and
$2
Regulations and Site
I geotechnical considerations.
I
Geology
Total
$16.25
The extent of wetlands asserted as jurisdictional by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers on
the project is shown on Figure 7.
SAter resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
bids.final.2-1-04 doc
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Summary of Impact of Inflationary Pressures and Facility Improvements
As discussed previously, the cost of some construction materials have inflated by more
than 50% since the construction season of 2002. As shown in Table 6, inflationary
pressures added approximately $18.12 million to the $67.66 million estimate from 2002,
which changes the price of the project to an estimated $85.78 million. Design changes
necessary to improve the performance of the facility and accommodate regulatory
requirements added an estimated $16.25 million. The distribution of changes to almost
every treatment facility indicates that the 50% design was a work in progress requiring
refinement. The opinion of probable construction cost for the Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility is estimated at $102 million
Table 6
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Construction Cost Changes Due To
Inflation and Final Design/Regulatory Improvements
Item
December 2002 Construction Cost Estimate
Inflation and Construction Materials Price Increases
Final Design Improvements
Regulatory Mandates/Geology
Facility Improvements
Total Estimated Cost
WASTEWATER UTILITY RATES
Estimated Cost ($million)
$67.66
$18.12
$7
$9.25
$102.03
Petaluma's wastewater rates were last updated in December 2002. The adopted rates are
being phased in over a 4 -year period. The most recent change occurred in January 2005.
Most public agencies charge a flat monthly wastewater fee for single family residential
customers, regardless of the amount of water used. This approach is not equitable and
provides a disincentive for water conservation. Petaluma's wastewater utility rate for
single family residential customers is a combination of a flat fee and a usage based fee.
The rate changes were programmed to emphasize the usage fee over time. The rate for a
single family residential customer is $12.74 per month plus $3.396 per hundred cubic feet
(hcf)13 of water used during the winter months. For the average single family customer in
Petaluma using an average of 9 hcf/month during the winter months, their wastewater
service charge would be $43.30 per month ($12.74 + (9 hcf) x ($3.396)). Customers
using less than 9 hcf/month during the winter months will realize a lower wastewater fee.
13 t hundred cubic feet (hcf) of water equals 748 gallons.
38
SAwater resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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The current wastewater utility fees are not sufficient to support construction of the Ellis
Creek Water Recycling Facility, costs for operation and maintenance of the wastewater
facilities, and to support other needed capital improvements to the wastewater utility
(upgrade of the C Street Pump Station, expansion of the water recycling program,
management of biosolids, repair of deteriorating sewer mains in the downtown area and
throughout the City). An increase in wastewater utility rates and fees will be necessary.
The current rate program is effective through January 2006. A preliminary analysis of the
wastewater utility rates indicates additional rate increases will be necessary. The
preliminary rates for an average single family residential customer are shown in Table 7.
Table 7
Estimated Monthly Wastewater Bill for Average
Single Family Residential Customer
Year
2005 (current rate)
2006 (current rate)
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Estimated Monthly Rate For Average
Single Family Residential Customer
$43.30
$47.98
$53.74
$60.19
$67.41
$73.14
$82.13
The rates in Table 7 are based on constructing all of the project's elements. Lower cost
alternatives, with correspondingly lower rates, are presented in the Alternatives section
below.
City Management anticipates presenting the final results of the rate study to the City
Council in spring 2005.
3. ALTERNATIVES:
Alternatives available for construction of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
include:
Alternative 1 — Full Project
Alternative 2 — Phase -In Secondary Process
Alternative 3 — Phase -In Secondary Process and Solids Handling
Alternative 4 — No Project
3]
S \water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncnlTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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Alternative 1 — Full Project
This alternative is the full project as described in this Agenda Report. The construction
cost for this alternative is estimated at $102 million. The annual O&M cost estimated is
at $4.3 million.
Alternative 2 — Phase -In Secondary Process
The second alternative includes the following changes to reduce project costs:
Delete septage receiving station
Delete construction of one oxidation ditch and associated piping, and phase-in
construction at a later date (if necessary)
Delete one biofilter
Utilize heat detection for fire suppression in unoccupied buildings constructed of
non-combustible material
Reduce capacity of tertiary recycled water system from 5 mgd to 3 mgd
Eliminate the use of T-lok
Eliminate the second, standby gravity belt thickener
Eliminate sulfide scrubber
Eliminate $1 million landscaping
Utilize different concrete aggregate for dry structures
Increase use of native soil for trench backfill
These changes are estimated to save approximately $9.7 million. The construction cost
for Alternative 2- Phase -In Secondary Process is estimated at $92.3 million. The annual
O&M cost is estimated at $3.8 million.
The potential risks of this alternative include possible future permit issues associated with
not having enough secondary treatment capacity to treat all the wastewater during the
peak month and no backup options for one oxidation ditch. To mitigate this risk, the City
would continue to use the oxidation ponds for secondary treatment and add additional
aeration capacity to the oxidation ponds.
Alternative 3 — Phase -In Secondary Process and Solids Handling
Alternative 3 includes all of the cost reduction items in Alternative 2, plus deletion of all
the solids handling facilities. The estimated construction cost for this alternative is $83.4
million. The annual O&M cost is estimated at $4.2 million.
,M
SAwater resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City Councd\rebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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Similar to Alternative 2, the potential risks associated with Alternative 3 include possible
future permit issues with not having enough secondary treatment capacity to treat all the
wastewater during peak months and no back up for one oxidation ditch. Because
Alternative 3 does not include processes to treat biosolids, Alternative 3 will generate
100% more biosolids than Alternatives 1 and 2. Even though the capital costs for
Alternative 3 are lower than Alternative 2, the additional biosolids to be handled under
Alternative 3 result in an annual O&M cost that is approximately $400,000 greater than
Alternative 2. Since the biosolids produced under Alternative 3 will not meet EPA's
Class B requirements, these biosolids cannot be beneficially reused.
Under Alternative 3, the solids handling facilities will need to be phased in over time and
will cost more to construct in the future. The City of San Mateo opened bids in January
2005 for a second anaerobic digester and new dewatering facilities. The cost of the new
solids handling facilities for San Mateo are approximately $2.44 per million gallons
treated versus Petaluma's anticipated cost for solids handling of $1.11 per million gallons
treated under Alternatives 1 and 2. This indicates that delay of these necessary facilities
could cost the City twice the current construction estimate. In addition, over the past 20
years, the cost paid by the City for landfill disposal of its biosolids has increased at more
than twice the rate of inflation. Without a stabilized biosolid, disposal costs are
anticipated to be even higher making the City dependent upon others for further treatment
or landfill as the primary means of disposal.
Alternative 3 will also require a fair amount of redesign. Additional time to redesign the
project will delay the project by about 3 months, which will likely result in cost increases.
Cost increases resulting from this delay have not been calculated, and are not included in
the $83.4 million construction cost estimate.
Alternative 4 — No Project
Under Alternative 4 — No Project, the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility would not be
constructed. The cost of this alternative is $13.5 million. The rate increases are not
predictable due to the risks associated with trying to continue treating wastewater at a
facility that is deteriorating and is operating near its treatment and permitted capacity.
The elements for each alternative are compared in Table 8. A comparison of the
estimated construction costs and relative rates for each alternative is presented in Table 9.
City Management recommends the City Council proceed with development of Alternative
2 — Phase In Secondary Process. The benefits of this alternative include:
Construction cost savings of approximately $9.7 million versus Alternative 1 —
Full Project.
41
S \water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CounciMebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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Table 8
Comparison of Alternatives
SAwater resources & commat1oMWasi9water%012Wiase 3 - crostruction\City CouncUebmary 7. 20MTaMe 8.YJs
2/1/2005
Alternative 3
Alternative 2
Phase -In Secondary
Alternative 1
Phase -In Secondary
Process and Solids
Element
Full Project
Process (if necessary)
Handling_
Headworks
yes
yes
yes
Septage Receiving Station
yes
no
no
Oxidation Ditch 1
yes
yes
yes
Oxidation Ditch 2
yes
no
no
2 Secondary Clarifiers
yes
yes
yes
Solids Thickening
yes
yes - 50%
no
Acid Digester
yes
yes
no
Methane Digester
yes
yes
no
Sulfide Scrubber
yes
no
no
Dewatering
yes
yes
yes
Odor Handling Process
yes
yes - 671/o
yes - 67%
Tertiary Treatment
yes
yes - 60%
yes - 60%
Oxidation Ponds
yes
yes
, yes
Treatment Wetlands
yes
yes
yes
Polishing Treatment Wetlands
yes
yes - 75%
yes - 75%
River Discharge / Disinfectin Upgrade
yes
yes
yes
Storage Reservior and Pump Station
yes
yes
yes
Operation, Lab, Maintenance, Lab Building_
yes
yes
( yes
Meet Anticipated Discharge Limits
yes
yes
yes
SAwater resources & commat1oMWasi9water%012Wiase 3 - crostruction\City CouncUebmary 7. 20MTaMe 8.YJs
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W
Construction Cost (million)
Schedule for Rate Increase
Table 9
Estimated Construction Cost and Rates for Each Alternative
Alternative 1
Full Project
$102.03
Alternative 2
Phase -In Secondary
Process (if necessary)
$92.30
Alternative 3 Phase -In
Secondary Process and
Solids Handling
$83.40
Estimated Percent Rate Increase
Alternative 4
No Project
N/A"'
January 2006 (already scheduled)tt1
11.30%
11.30%
11.30%
11.30%
January 2007
12.00%
10.00%
10.00%
3.50%
January 2008
12.00%
10.00%
9.00%
3.50%
January 2009
12.00%
10.00%
8,50%
3.50%
January 2010
8.50%
8.50%
8.50%
3.50%
January 2011
8.50%
8.25%
8.25%
3.50%
January 2012
3.50%
3.50%
3.50%
3.50%
Schedule for Monthly Bill Change
Estimated Monthly Wastewater Bill for an Average Single Family Residential Customer
January 2006 (already scheduled)(' 1
$47.98
$47.98
$47.98
$4798
January 2007
$53.74
$52.78
$52.78
$49.66
January 2008
$60.19
$58.06
$57.53
$51.40
January 2009
$67.41
$63.86
$62.42
$53.20
January 2010
$73.14
$69.29
$67.72
$55.06
January 2011
$79.36
$75.01
$73.31
$56.99
January 2012
$82.13
$77.63
$75.88
$58.98
(1) This rate increase was approved on Decem-)er 2, 2002. Resolution No. 2002-189 N.C.S.
(2) Though there is no construction cost for Alternative
4, the cost for
development of the project is estimated at $13.5 million.
SA"ter resources 8 won9ervatW\VVaS%"1er19o121phase 3 - mnstrucum\Ciry Coune febrwry 7, 200STabte 9 finallds
1!3112005
Full management and treatment of biosolids. The risks and future costs associated
with having to construct solids handling facilities in the future under Alternative 3
outweigh the capital cost savings of this alternative.
Ability to stay on schedule for start of construction in summer 2005.
4. FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
As shown in Table 10, the total estimated project cost for construction of Alternative 2 is
$118 million. This includes construction management, engineering services during
construction, project administration, construction, contingency, and General Fund
Overhead.
Table 10
Estimated Total Costs for Construction of Alternative 2
Item
Construction
Project Administration, Construction Management,
Engineering Services During Construction
Subtotal
Construction Contingency
General Fund CIP Overhead
Total
Alternative Rate Structure
Estimated Cost ($millions)
$92.3
$11.3
$103.6
$9.2
5.2
$118
The approach to the rates in Table 9 are based on higher rate increases in the early years,
followed by lower rate increases in the later years. Another option for rate increases is to
make them a uniform percentage. For Alternative 2 this would require 5 years of annual
9.5% rate increases, for Years 2007 through 2011. The projected annual rate increase
after 2011 is 3.5%. This is illustrated in Table 11. The estimated monthly charge for an
average single family residential customer is also shown.
M
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Table 11
Estimated Annual Rates For Alternative 2 — Phase -In Secondary
Process With Uniform Rate Increases
Year Estimated Rate Increase
2005 (current rate)
N/A
2006 (current rate) I
10.8%
2007
9.5%
2008 I
9.5%
2009
9.5%
2010
9.5%
2011 I
9.5%
2012 I
3.5%
Estimated Monthly
Wastewater Charge For
Average Single Family
Residential Customer
$43.30
$47.98
$52.54
$57.53
$63.00
$68.98
$75.53
$78.18
These rates are based on preliminary projections. Final rate recommendations will be
presented to the City Council later in the year.
How Do the Preliminary Rates Compare With Other Cities?
Like Petaluma, other Sonoma County communities are upgrading or expanding their
wastewater treatment facilities. Santa Rosa recently completed construction of their
Geysers Project, and is in the early planning phase of an upgrade to their wastewater
treatment facility. Because they operate a subregional system, their projects affect their
subregional partners. Table 12 compares Petaluma's rates with nearby communities for
the monthly charge for an average single family residential customer using 9 hcf/month.
45
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Table 12
Comparison of Monthly Wastewater Charges for Average Single
Family Residential Customer
Agency
Estimated Monthly Wastewater
Effective Date
Charge for Average Single Family
I I
Residential Customer
City of Windsor
I $43.06 I
July 1, 2004
City of Santa Rosa
I $60.23 I
January 1, 2005
City of Healdsburg
$48.80
January 2005
$50.27
April 2005
$51.77
July 2005
$53.33
October 2005
$54.93
January 2006
$56.57
April 2006
Sonoma Valley County
I $40.50 I
July 2004
Sanitation District
City of Rohnert Park
$50.22
April 2005
(proposed)
$62.95
April 2006
$72.23
April 2007
City of Petaluma
$43.30
January2005
(scheduled)
$47.98
January 2006
City of Petaluma
$52.54
January 200? -T
(preliminary estimate)
$57.53
January 200' 8
$63.00
January2016 ')
Project Financing
Financing for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility project will be obtained through
State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program. This program provides low interest loans for
construction of wastewater treatment and water reclamation facilities. The State Water
Resources Control Board has informed the City that the Ellis Creek Water Recycling
Facility is eligible for this funding and that funding will be available in the time frame
needed for starting construction in summer 2005. SRF loans have a term of 20 -years with
an approximate interest rate of 2.7%. Conventional revenue bonding mechanisms have a
typical interest rate of 4.5%. The use of SRF will save the City an estimated $46 million
versus revenue bond financing.
5. CONCLUSION:
The City's path to development of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility has been
46
S.\water resources & conservation\Wastewater\9012\phase 3 - construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005\Staff Report solicit
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subjected to an extraordinary amount of public and professional scrutiny and review.
Since 1992, over 30 resolutions have been adopted on the project. The design has been
developed, reviewed and refined through a master plan, a project report, environmental
documentation, consultation with thirteen governmental regulatory agencies, three value
engineering efforts, a bidability and constructability, review, preparation of a detailed cost
estimate, and preparation of plans (comprising over 750 drawings) and specifications
(comprising over 1,500 pages).
The Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility represents a significant and valuable investment
by Petaluma. It will serve the needs of the community for 50 plus years, and help protect
the water quality of the Petaluma River and the San Francisco Bay, as required by the
Federal Clean Water Act. Tertiary recycled water produced by the facility will also
provide a critical component for the City's water supply.
How does the cost of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility compare with other
wastewater treatment facility projects? Table 13 compares the capital cost of the Ellis
Creek Water Recycling Facility Project with the escalated cost of wastewater treatment
facility projects constructed for the cities of Roseville, South San Francisco, Benicia,
Coachella and the Tahoe -Truckee Sanitary Agency. With an estimated capital cost of
$92.3 million (Alternative 2) and an annual average capacity of 8 mgd, the unit cost of the
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility is $11.54 million/mgd. The Year 2000 bid price of
the City of Roseville's wastewater treatment facility was $92 million. If this project were
bid today, its estimated cost would be $139.43 million. With an annual average capacity
of 12 mgd, the unit cost of this project would be $11.62 million/mgd. This is similar to
Petaluma's unit cost. Petaluma's unit cost is approximately 4% more than Coachella's
project, 3% less than Benicia's project, and 20% less than South San Francisco's project.
Each of these examples demonstrates that constructing wastewater treatment facilities to
improve water quality and comply with the Federal Clean Water Act is a very costly
endeavor.
47
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TABLE 13
Construction Cost Comparison of Recently Bid/Constructed Wastewater Treatment Facilities
Project Roseville, CA
South SF, CA
Benicia, CA
Chico, CA
Petaluma, CA o'
Tahoe -Truckee
Coachella, CA'-'
Sanitary Agency, CA (1)
Bid Date 2000
1998
Mar -98
Sep -97
2005
Oct -03
Oct -04
Elements Headworks
Headworks
No lleadworks
Hdwks rehab
Headworks
Hmdworks
w/ pumping
w/ mf pumping
2 ABs, 2 SCs
I PC, 2 ABs,
Odor control
Secondary
PCs, ABs, SCs
DAF, Digester
2 SCs, DAF
Grit Removal
Grit Removal
(No limitary)
Hypochlorite
2 digesters
Ox. Ditches
Sec Tom Expansion
2 Ox Ditch
Tertiary
Sludge thickening,
Admin
dewatering
SCs
2 Sec C'lar
Solids
digest, dewatering
admin
wetlands
Elec Bldg
EM Ponds
Ops building
blower, SCADA
digest, dewatering
eff pump station
tertiary;(N
Salt Removal
Sludge Drying Beds
No Tertiary
No Tertiary
No'rertiary
admin building
admin bldg
Construction
Cost (SM) $92.00
$4200
$25.11
$29.00
$51.50
$20.48
Estimated ENR 6,130
6,762
6,745
5,895
6771
8169
20 cities ENR
SF ENR
SF ENR
20 cities ENR
20 cities ENR
LA ENR
Adjust to Prescnt ENR 8230 $123.52
$51.12
$30.64
$40.49
$62.60
$20.63
Adjust to Mid Pt -13% $139.43
$57.70
$34.59
$45.70
$92.31
$70.66
523.29
Annual Average
13
4.1
9
Capacity (mgd) 12
4
29
5
8
22
2,1
Unit Cost (Smillion/mgd)
Jan 2007 Costs $1162
$1443
$11.93
$914
$11.54
$32.12
$11.09
(1) Plant expansion from 7.4 mgd to 9.6 mgd
(2) Plant expansion from 2.4 mgd to 4.5 mgd
(3) Based on Altemauve 2 - Phase -In Secondary Process
Tabte 13 - cost comparison to other bid projects.xis 1131/2005
How does the performance of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility compare with
projects proposed for treatment of Petaluma's wastewater? Envirotech Operating
Services submitted the first proposed project for the new wastewater treatment facility in
1988. The oxidation ditch facility proposed included continued use of the existing
aeration basins and secondary clarifier at the Hopper Street facility, with construction of
oxidation ditches, secondary clarifiers at the Lakeville Highway site. Tertiary treatment
facilities were not included. Since that time, other proposed projects include
Montgomery United Water's privatization proposal (January 1997), the Sonoma County
Water Agency's proposal (March 1998), the Master Plan prepared by Brown & Caldwell
(May 1999), and Sonoma County Water Agency's second proposal (April 2001). Table
14 summarizes these proposals with respect to the following items:
Odor Control. Includes facilities to contain and treat odors generated by the
wastewater treatment facility.
Tertiary Treatment. Use of filters to remove fine suspended particles that remain
in the secondary effluent.
Grit Removal. Removal of grit, sand, gravel, cinders and other heavy solid
materials in the influent wastewater to protect moving mechanical equipment in
the plant from abrasion and abnormal wear and to reduce formation of heavy
deposits in pipelines, channels, conduits and storage/treatment ponds.
Oxidation Pond Storage. Needed to support the City's water recycling program
and comply with NPDES permit, which prohibits discharge of, treated effluent
into the Petaluma River from May 1 through October 20.
Algae Removal. Storage of effluent in the oxidation ponds is conducive to algae
growth. Removal of algae from the secondary effluent is necessary to meet
current discharge standards for total suspended solids and disinfection.
Solids Handling & Treatment. The 100 — 150 tons/month of biosolids contained
in the influent wastewater must be removed and treated prior to landfill disposal
or beneficial reuse. Facilities typically included digesters and dewatering units
(belt filter presses or centrifuges).
Class B Biosolids. Allows biosolids to be beneficially reused.
Tertiary Recycled Water. Production of tertiary recycled water in compliance
with Title 22 requirements will allow the City to expand its water -recycling
program and meet peak water supply demands.
Recycled Water Storage. Allows tertiary facilities to operate at a steady rate,
which improves operation and reduces wear and tear. Storage also allows the City
to conduct maintenance on the facility without disrupting recycled water service.
Lil
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Table 14
Summary of Proposals For Water Recycling Facility
Petaluma, California
Petaluma Water
EOS Privatization MUW Privatization
B&C
SCWA
Recycling
Project Element Proposal SCWA Proposal
Proposal
Master Plan
Proposal
Facility
Date October -88 March -98
January -97
May -99
April -01
June -05
Tertiary Treatment no yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Odor Control no no
no
no
no
yes
Grit Removal yes yes
no
yes
no
yes
Oxidation Pond Storage yes yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Algae Removal no no
no
yes
no
yes
Ammonia Removal no yes
yes
no
no (2)
yes
Solids Treatment & Handling yes yes
yes
no
no
yes
Class B Biosolids yes yes
yes
no
no
yes
Tertiary Recycled Water no no
no
yes
no (3)
yes
Recycled Water Storage no no
no
no
no (4)
yes
Public Amenities no no
no
no
no
yes
Meet Anticipated Discharge Limits no no
no
no
no (5)
yes
Notes:
EOS = Envirotech Operating Services
MUW = Montgomery United Water
SCWA = Sonoma County Water Agency
(1) Estimate provided as part of SCWA proposal.
(2) Proposed method to lower pH with addition of citric acid does not remove ammonia.
(3) Without algae removal, ability for microfilters to meet Title 22 is uncertain.
(4) :Narrative refers to storage, but size and costs were not provided.
(5) Ability of proposed method for addition of citric acid to meet toxicity requirements is uncertain.
SAwater resources & wnsewationtW astzwatert90121phase 3 - wnstructim\City CounciiTebruary 7, 20051Tabie 14.xis 1/31/2005
Meet Anticipated Discharge Limits. It is anticipated that the permit discharge
limits for the new Water Recycling Facility will be more stringent than the current
requirements.
As shown on Table 14, the only project that includes all of the critical elements described
above is the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility.
6. OUTCOMES OR PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS THAT WILL IDENTIFY SUCCESS
OR COMPLETION:
Following City Council direction regarding solicitation of bids for construction of the
facility, the outcomes or performance measurements that will identify success or
completion include procurement of bids, award of the construction contract by the City
Council, construction of the facility (safely on schedule and within budget), and operation
and maintenance of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility.
The schedule for the project is shown in Table 15.
Table 15
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Anticipated Construction Schedule
Item
Bid Advertisement
Bid Period
Pre -Bid Meeting
City Council Contract Award
Notice -To -Proceed / Begin Construction
Construction Phase
Start Up Phase
Project Completion
7. RECOMMENDATION
City Management requests the City Council:
Date
March 29, 2005
March 29, 2005 — May 26, 2005
April 11, 2005
June 20, 2005
June 30, 2005
July 2005 — December 2007
January 2008 — July 2008
August 2008
February 7, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
Project. No City Council action is being requested at the February 7th Council
meeting.
February 28, 2008: Consider and discuss the Ellis Creek Water Recycling
51
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Facility, and provide direction on the resolution approving Alternative 2 and
directing the solicitation of construction bids. The draft resolution provided with
this Agenda Report will be amended to reflect the City Council's direction.
City Management recommends the City Council proceed with development of Alternative
2 — Phase -In Secondary Process for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility.
52
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DRAFT RESOLUTION
I Resolution Directing the Department of Water Resources and
2 Conservation to Solicit Bids for Construction of the Ellis Creek Water
3 Recycling Facility
4
5 WHEREAS, in 1938, the original wastewater treatment processes were constructed at
6 950 Hopper Street;
8 WHEREAS, to meet the community's needs and changing regulatory requirements,
9 various upgrades and additions to the wastewater treatment plant were conducted through
10 the 1960s;
11
12 WHEREAS, in 1972, the oxidation ponds were constructed at 4400 Lakeville Highway
13 to provide additional treatment capacity;
14
15 WHEREAS, in 1988, with influent flows exceeding 75% of the permitted capacity of the
16 wastewater treatment facility, and necessary upgrades to the facility to increase treatment
17 capacity and continue to meet the needs of the community were determined to be too
18 costly, the City determined to replace the existing wastewater treatment facility;
19
20 WHEREAS, in 1991 the City executed a Memorandum of Understanding with
21 Envirotech Operating Services (EOS) to design, build, construct, own and operate (20
22 years) a new wastewater treatment facility (Resolution No. 91-107);
23
24 WHEREAS, on July 31, 1991, EOS submitted an application to the California Public
25 Utilities Commission (CPUC) seeking an exemption from CPUC regulation under the
26 California Local Government Privatization Act of 1985;
27
28 WHEREAS, on October 21, 1991, Administrative Law Judge Ramsey determined that
29 the MOU did not meet the requirements of the Public Utilities Code and ordered that "the
30 application is denied without prejudice to refiling after amendment";
31
32 WHEREAS, in February 1992 EOS and the City mutually agreed to rescind the MOU;
33
34 WHEREAS, on June 20, 1994, following a report prepared by Ernst and Young, the City
35 Council adopted Resolution No. 94-156, which directed that the Service Agreement
36 Approach (privatization) be utilized for procurement of a new wastewater treatment
37 facility;
38
39 WHEREAS, on June 17, 1996, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 96-163, which
40 certified the Final EIR documents, Resolution No. 96-164, which approved the project,
41 and Resolution No. 96-165, which approved and authorized issuance of the Request For
42 Proposal;
43
44 WHEREAS, on July 17, 1996, the RFP was issued to five pre -qualified vendor teams;
45
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S\WR&C\W W\9012\phase 3 — construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005/resoltuion doc
WHEREAS, in January 1997, the City received proposals from Montgomery United
Water (MUW) and US Filter/EOS;
4 WHEREAS, the Citizens' Wastewater Advisory Committee considered the proposals on
5 May 28, 1997, June 3, 1997, June 4, 1997, July 2, 1997, October 20, 1997, October 30,
6 1997, November 4, 1997, November 18, 1997, and on December 3, 1997;
8 WHERAS, the City Council considered the proposals on July 7, 1997, September 8,
9 1997, September 15, 1997, September 22, 1997, September 29, 1997, October 6, 1997,
10 December 3, 1997, and December 8, 1997;
11
12 WHEREAS, on January 5, 1998, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 98-11, which
13 selected MUW for contract negotiations;
14
15 WHEREAS, negotiations with MUW on technical, legal and agreement issues began on
16 January 27, 1998 and proceeded through spring 1999;
17
18 WHEREAS, on September 21, 1998, the City Council, recognizing the need for
19 development of a public alternative to the proposed privatization project, approved
20 preparation of the wastewater treatment facility master plan;
21
22 WHEREAS, on September 21, 1999, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 99-188,
23 which terminated the privatization process and established City ownership of the new
24 wastewater treatment facility. Reasons cited for this determination included, among
25 others:
26
27 ► Risk of Change Required Over 30 -Year Contract Term. Changes in the
28 City's needs may occur during the 30 -year life of the contract. The City is at a
29 disadvantage by being able to negotiate with only one party for changes in the
30 facility's capacity.
31 ► Requirement of Fair Market Value Purchase. In order for MUW to retain
32 tax ownership, the City's option to purchase the facility at the end of the contract
33 term would have to be at fair market value. The price of the facility could not be
34 fixed in the contract, but would depend on the value of the facility at the time of
35 the exercise of the option, thereby putting the City and ratepayers at risk of having
36 to pay for part of the plant twice.
37 ► Lack of City Approval of Design. In order for MUW to retain tax
38 ownership, Section 4.8.1 of the agreement limited the City's participation in the
39 design process.
40 ► Third Party Services. In order for MUW to retain tax ownership, Section
41 5.2.4 would allow the Company to provide services to others (in addition to the
42 City) at the Project Site.
43 ► Inability to Agree On Contract Language. After extensive negotiations
44 between the City and MUW, specific contract language on the above and other
45 critical issues could not be agreed upon.
46
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WHEREAS, on September 21, 1999, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 99-189,
which approved the Wastewater Treatment Master Plan, with the understanding that the
Master Plan's recommended project would be further reviewed to address questions
asked by the City's independent wastewater professionals;
6 WHEREAS, on October 29, 1999, the City issued a Request For Proposal for
7 engineering services in support of the water recycling facility project (new wastewater
8 treatment facility);
9
10 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2000-66 on April 3, 2000, which
11 authorized the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Carollo
12 Engineers for engineering services in support of Phase 1 — Project Report of the Water
13 Recycling Facility Project;
14
15 WHEREAS, five alternatives for the new water recycling facility were presented at a
16 Public Forum at the Community Center on June 14, 2000;
17
18 WHEREAS, the City Council heard a discussion on the criteria for evaluating the
19 alternatives on September 5, 2000;
20
21 WHEREAS, the results of the analysis and comparison of the alternatives were
22 presented at a Public Forum at the Community Center on November 8, 2000;
23
24 WHEREAS, the City Council considered and discussed the Draft Water Recycling
25 Facility Project Report (Carollo Engineers, November 2000) on November 20, 2000;
26
27 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 00-214 on December 11, 2000, which
28 approved the Water Recycling Facility Project Report (Carollo Engineers, November
29 2000), selected Alternative 5 — Extended Aeration as the preferred alternative for the
30 new water recycling facility, and identified Option A — Wetlands as the preferred
31 alternative for algae removal over Option B — DAFs
32
33 WHERAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 00-215 on December 11, 2000, which
34 authorized the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Carollo
35 Engineers for professional engineering services in support of Phase 2 — Project
36 Development of the Water Recycling Facility Project;
37
38 WHEREAS, the City Council considered the Water Recycling Facility Project and the
39 Draft Water Recycling Facility Predesign Report (Carollo Engineers, November 2001)
40 on November 14, 2001, November 28, 2001, December 17, 2001 and January 7, 2002;
41
42 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 2002-012 on January 7, 2002, which
43 approved design parameters for the preferred alternative for the water recycling facility
44 project and authorized completion of the environmental impact report;
45
Page 3 of 7
S\WR&C\W W\9012\phase 3 — construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005/resoltumon doe
WHEREAS, the City prepared Water Recycling Facility and River Access
Improvements Draft EIR (4pri12002) and distributed it to the California State
Clearinghouse and to all responsible local, state and federal agencies involved in the
project and made it available for public review;
WHEREAS, the City Council held noticed public hearings on May 13, 2002, and May
20, 2002, during which all interested persons were provided an opportunity to comment
on the adequacy of the Draft EIR;
10 WHEREAS, the public review period for the Draft EIR began April 15, 2002, and
11 closed May 29, 2002;
12
13 WHEREAS, the City prepared Water Recycling Facility and River Access
14 Improvements Final EIR and Response To Comments (July 2002), which responded to
15 comments received on the Draft EIR. The Final EIR did not identify any new significant
16 impacts that had not been previously evaluated in the Draft EIR.
17
18 WHEREAS, the City Council held a noticed public hearing on August 5, 2002, to
19 consider the Final EIR;
20
21 WHEREAS, after due consideration, the Petaluma City Council adopted Resolution
22 2002-135 certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Water Recycling
23 Facility and River Access Improvements Project and made the following findings on
24 August 5, 2002.
25
26 1. The Final Environmental Impact Report has been completed in compliance with
27 the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA
28 Guidelines.
29 2. The documents referenced below constitute the Final Environmental Impact
30 Report and were presented and considered along with both written and oral
31 comments received during the public review period on the project and
32 environmental documents:
33 a. Water Recycling Facility and River Access Improvements Draft
34 Environmental Impact Report, in two volumes (April 2002).
35 b. Water Recycling Facility and River Access Improvements Final
36 Environmental Impact Report and Response To Comments (July 2002).
37 3. The City Council, as the decision making body of the City of Petaluma,
38 independently reviewed, analyzed and considered the information in the Final
39 EIR and found that the contents of the Final EIR reflect the independent judgment
40 of the City of Petaluma
41 4. The Final EIR was published, made available and circulated for review and
42 comment.
43
44 WHEREAS, the project certified in the Final EIR included locating a portion of the
45 treatment plant at 4400 Lakeville Highway, the current site of the City's oxidation ponds
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S\WR&C\W W\9012\phase 3 — construction\Qty Council\February 7, 2005/resoltuion.doc
(APN 0680-010-025, 032 and 024), with polishing treatment wetlands located at 4104
Lakeville Highway (APN 068-010-026, and 017-170-002); and
4 WHEREAS, the City completed approximately 50% design of the facility in November
5 2002; and
7 WHEREAS, through the value engineering effort conducted in December 2002, it
8 became apparent the alternative of locating the water recycling facility at 4104 Lakeville
9 Highway and preserving the oxidation pond site for its current function warranted further
10 evaluation; and
11
12 WHEREAS, to construct the water recycling facility at the oxidation pond site would
13 require the removal, drying and disposal of sludge from the aerated lagoon and oxidation
14 pond no. 1, construction of a pipeline to deliver influent to oxidation pond no. 2, the
15 construction of aerators in oxidation pond nos. 2 and 3 to maintain and improve treatment
16 capacity, and require the placement of approximately 250,000 cubic yards of imported fill
17 in the oxidation pond no. 1; and
18
19 WHEREAS, a feasibility study determined that locating the water recycling facility at
20 4104 Lakeville Highway was feasible and yields many benefits; and,
21
22 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted resolution No. 2003-196 on August 18, 2003,
23 which authorized the City Manager to execute an amendment to the professional services
24 agreement with Carollo Engineers for engineering services in support of locating the new
25 treatment plant at 4104 Lakeville Highway; and
26
27 WHEREAS, the City Council authorized acquisition of approximately 262 acres of land
28 in the 4000 block of Lakeville Highway for construction of the Water Recycling Facility
29 and development of the Petaluma Marsh Acquisition, Enhancement and Access Project
30 on September 8, 2003 through Ordinance No. 2161 N.C.S. for the purchase of real
31 property described as Sonoma County Assessor's parcel nos. 068-010-026 and 017-010-
32 002; and
33
34 WHEREAS, the City acquired Parcel nos. 068-010-026 and 017-010-002 in February
35 2004 with the assistance of grant funding from the California Coastal Conservancy and
36 the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District; and
37
38 WHEREAS, an Addendum to the Water Recycling Facility and River Access
39 Improvements EIR was prepared to evaluate potential changes to the environmental
40 affects of the Project due to the proposed Project revisions; and
41
42 WHEREAS, the EIR Addendum concluded that the determinations of the Final EIR
43 remain valid for the revised Project in that none of the Project modifications will have
44 new significant impacts or substantially increase the severity of previously identified
45 significant effects, or otherwise meet the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Section
46 15162 which outlines the standards by which subsequent EIRs are required; and
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2 WHEREAS, the EIR Addendum was published on April 15, 2004 and was available for
3 public review at the City of Petaluma City Hall, Petaluma Library, Petaluma Community
4 Center, Petaluma Senior Center, and the Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma campus;
5 and
7 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2004-101 N.C.S. Re -certifying
8 Water Recycling Facility and River Access Improvements Project Final Environmental
9 Impact Report Addendum, and Adopting Findings and Statement of Overriding
10 Considerations, and Adopting Revised Mitigation Measures and Monitoring Program on
11 June 7, 2004.
12
13 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2004-092 N.C.S. Authorizing the
14 City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with The Covello Group for
15 Construction Management Services Task 1 and Task 2 for the City of Petaluma Ellis
16 Creek Water Recycling Facility Project on June 7, 2004; and
17
18 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2004-156 Authorizing General
19 Contractor and Electrical Subcontractor Prequalification for the City of Petaluma Ellis
20 Creek Water Recycling Facility Project on August 16, 2004; and
21
22 WHEREAS, the Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee approved the project on
23 November 18, 2004; and
24
25 WHEREAS, the Petaluma Planning Commission considered the project and the
26 proposed land use designations at 4104 Lakeville Highway on December 14, 2004, and
27 recommended the City Council approve the General Plan Amendment to the land use
28 designation of Public/Institutional, Prezoning to Planned Community District (PCD) and
29 Rezoning from Agricultural to Planned Community District, and annexation to the City
30 of Petaluma; and
31
32 WHEREAS, the City Council considered the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility on
33 February 7 and 28, 2004;
34
35 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council that the Department of
36 Water Resources and Conservation is directed to complete the contract documents for
37 Alternative 2 — Phase -In Secondary Process for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
38 and issue the contract documents to prequalified contractors for procurement of bids for
39 construction;
40
41 NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the City Council that:
42
43 1. The above recitals are true and correct and hereby declared to be findings of the
44 City Council of the City of Petaluma.
45 2. The resolution shall become effective immediately.
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S\WR&C\W WW012\phase 3 — construction\City CouncilTebruary 7, 2005/resoltuion doc
1 3. All portions of this resolution are severable. Should any individual component of
2 this resolution be adjudged to be invalid and unenforceable by a body of
3 competent jurisdiction, then the remaining resolution portions shall be and
4 continue in full force and effect, except as to those resolution portions that have
5 been adjudged invalid. The City Council of the City of Petaluma hereby declares
6 that it would have adopted this resolution and each section, subsection, clause,
7 sentence, phrase and other portion hereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more
8 section subsection, clause sentence, phrase or other portion may be held invalid or
9 unconstitutional.
10
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S\WR&C\W W\9012\pbase 3 - construcuon\City Councill'ebruary 7, 2005Jresoituion.doc
New access gate from Lakeville Highway - Filter Secondary
(City Staff & deliveries only) Support arifiers
I) `
[,Building Cl
Operations — i Oxidation
guiding/Laboratory T� +, Ditches
Recycled p Anaerobic
Water Storage ; O Filters Digestion /
i oho /
LIV Head -
Disinfection o works /
i SollL7
ds o
-
Access Road �' Handling a �q� GD
New access gate from Cypress Drive
(public access) ' I Biofllters
Parkin
i Trails on
Native Berms'
/ Landscaping
Islands--_.,_
Trail to
Shollenberger
Park
Legend
C Dense vegetation
Open water
pe160419.6069.cdr
IR
Existing
Force Main
Stormwater
Wetlands
Existing Trail to
Naval Building
and River
runs iwc. = existing road
---- "` will be repaired
•r
� 1
i
South Stream -_
Crossing i
Treatment Wetlands -
Plimn Atnfinn
i
CITY OWNED
PARCEL
Tr`
vanat v -
Crossing
IP Vr I10m
Wetlands To Outfall
Figure 4
PROJECT ELEMENTS
ELLIS CREEK WATER RECYCLING FACILITY
CITY OF PETALUMA
Chlorine
i Contact Basin
i
i
i
1
IP Vr I10m
Wetlands To Outfall
Figure 4
PROJECT ELEMENTS
ELLIS CREEK WATER RECYCLING FACILITY
CITY OF PETALUMA
No.7