Title
Resolution - A Proposed Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into an Engineering Services Agreement with Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. for Engineering Services Related to the Final Expansion of the Bud Ervin Water Treatment Plant (from 45 million gallons per day to 60 million gallons per day) for an Amount not to Exceed $185,000.00
Requested Action
Approve attached resolution allowing the City Manager and the Director of Utilities to enter into an Engineering Services Agreement with Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $185,000.00.
Recommendation
Approve attached resolution
Description/History
The current water treatment plant is capable of producing forty-five million gallons of drinking water per day. The final expansion of the treatment plant will take its capacity to sixty million gallons per day. Staff anticipates needing the additional capacity by January 2018.
Justification
Before the final expansion takes place, several scenarios must be evaluated. This must happen before an opinion of probable cost can be determined.
Tarrant Regional Water District intends to add chloramines to the raw water source in order to extend the pipeline's useful life and reduce maintenance costs. Staff must evaluate what the impact of such an addition would be at the treatment plant.
Drinking water must be disinfected in order to be safe for consumption. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality currently allows a number of potential disinfection strategies. Staff must evaluate which strategies are the most cost-effective and, more importantly, produce the safest water for our customers.
As the City grows, the need for pumping capacity changes. The City currently has two independent pressure planes, both of which have different average and peak demands. Staff must evaluate whether changes need to be made to the network of high pressure pumps at the treatment plant.
The next expansion will require that the treatment plant have addition clearwell capacity. Staff must evaluate the available options as they relate to volume and configuration.
Staff must also evaluate existing facilities in order to ensure that existing/aging equipment is compatible with equipment that will be installed/constructed as part of the final expansion. Whether or not new technology presents a more efficient way of producing drinking water needs to be examined. Furthermore, staff needs to identify opportunities to prolong the useful life of existing facilities.
Electricity usage is an important component of treating water and presents staff with opportunities to improve efficiency. Monitoring live consumption data and individual pump efficiency with SCADA is an option that should be evaluated.
The safety of city staff members has always been one of management's top priorities. High voltage electric panels are present at the treatment plant. Staff needs to conduct an Arc-Flash evaluation and examine the viability of an automatic transfer switch.
Funding Source
Utility Bond Fund
Prepared By
Joe Smolinski, Director of Utilities
817-477-2248