Title
Recommendation to Adopt Plans and Specifications and Authorize a Call for Bids for Group 2 - Sewer Pump Station Renovations for Reliability and Safety Improvements Project, No. P.W.03-14-10. (Public Works 602)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Elizabeth D. Warmerdam, Interim City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Adopt Plans and Specifications and Authorize a Call for Bids for Group 2 - Sewer Pump Station Renovations for Reliability and Safety Improvements Project, No. P.W.03-14-10
BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda has separate sanitary sewer and storm water drainage systems. Infiltration and inflow is storm water that should enter the storm drainage system but instead enters the sewer system through cracks and other defects in the sewer pipes. Storm water in the sewer system can cause excessive flows during wet weather events that exceed both local conveyance and regional treatment capacity. In 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a complaint against the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), owner and operator of the regional wastewater treatment facilities. The objective of the lawsuit was to create a federal court order to force EBMUD to eliminate the use of three wet weather facilities (WWFs) which were constructed in the 1980’s. The WWFs were built to handle excessive sanitary flows during the wet season by providing partial treatment and chlorination of peak flows prior to discharge to the San Francisco Bay. The EBMUD lawsuit was followed by a separate suit by the EPA against each of the municipal entities that operate sewer collection systems discharging to the EBMUD system. The City of Alameda was named in the second lawsuit, along with the other dischargers including Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont and Stege Sanitary District (collectively the “Satellites”). The EPA case against the Satellites was legally based on allegations of “unpermitted” discharges or sewer system overflows (SSOs). However, the primary objective was not related to SSO enforcement, but rather to ensure that an aggressive program to reduce wet weather flows in the sewer system would be carried out by the Satellites. The lawsuits were combined and settled with the terms of the settlement codified in Final Consent Decree for Case Nos. C09-00186 and 09-05684.
In accordance with requirements of the Consent Decree, the Public Works Department is upgrading existing sanitary sewer pump stations to limit public health impacts associated with SSOs and to improve reliability and safety. On February 15, 2011, the City Council awarded a consultant contract to Schaaf & Wheeler to provide design services for the renovations of sewer pump stations. Due to the number of pump stations to be renovated, work has been grouped into four separate construction phases. This is the third of four phases. The first two phases are complete.
DISCUSSION
The pump stations to be renovated under this phase include:
1. Pump Station #1: Adelphian - 107 Adelphian Way
2. Pump Station #9: Verdemar - 1101 Verdermar Drive
3. Pump Station #11: Harbor Bay Parkway II - Harbor Bay Parkway at South Loop Road
4. Pump Station #18: Willow-Whitehall - Southwest corner of Willow Street and Whitehall Place
5. Pump Station # 42: Haile - Haile Street at Willie Stargell Avenue
6. Pump Station #13: Bay Fairway - 300 Island Drive
The renovation work includes installing permanent backup generators where needed, sealing wells, installing multiple pumps, replacing motor controls, installing System Control and Data Acquisition alarms, and other safety improvements to provide reliable power to operate the sewer delivery system and prevent SSOs in the event of power failure.
Construction of this project is scheduled to begin in Fall of 2015 And be completed by summer 2016.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The project is budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program (91008) Sewer Pump Station Upgrades: Reliability, with monies allocated from the Sewer Enterprise Fund (Fund 602). There is no impact to the General Fund.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action does not affect the Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is Categorically Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b), Existing Facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt plans and specifications and authorize a call for bids for the group 2 - sewer pump station renovations for reliability and safety improvements project, No. P.W.03-14-10.
Respectfully submitted,
Liam Garland, Acting Public Works Director
By,
Erin Smith, Acting Deputy Public Works Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Plans
2. Specifications