REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve Expenditures and Ratify an Agreement with Bartley Pump PM, LLC, dba PumpMan Norcal, for the Well No. 34 Rehabilitation Project for a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $323,834
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities Department (WSUD) owns, operates and maintains groundwater wells that provide potable water for the City’s water distribution system.
Well No. 34 is located at 615 Moreland Way and was constructed in 2004. The well has a total depth of 840 feet below ground surface and consists of a 16-inch diameter steel casing with Ful-Flo louvered openings at several intervals. The well has experienced issues with excessive sand production and hydrogen sulfide odor upon startup.
Well No. 34 is considered critical infrastructure to providing and maintaining high quality water service to the City’s residents and businesses north of Highway 101 due to water only being supplied by the San Francisco Public Utilities Hetch Hetchy import and City Well No. 34.
In March 2022, WSUD published a Request for Proposal (RFP) for well condition assessment and engineering services during rehabilitation. Three proposals were received and independently evaluated by a three-member evaluation team. Kyle Groundwater, Inc. was selected and approved by Council to perform condition assessments on six (6) water wells, including Well No. 34.
The condition assessment of Well No. 34 was performed in October 2022 using downhole video and electro-magnetic defecto-scope (EMDS) surveys. The work necessitated removal of the existing pump and motor to access the well casing.
Based on the results of the condition assessment, Well No. 34 has been recommended for rehabilitation consisting of sediment removal, mechanical and chemical cleaning, and well re-development via focused intake pumping and surging.
DISCUSSION
The existing pump and motor were inspected when they were removed as part of the well condition assessment. The inspection showed that the existing motor used a mercury seal. Since the original installation, new environmental regulations have been passed which prevent the installation/re-installation of mercury sealed motors. As such, the well could not be returned to service until the motor was replaced and Well No. 34 was prioritized for rehabilitation based on being a critical supply infrastructure and to avoid additional costs for multiple removals and reinstallations of the pump.
In September 2023, work began to rehabilitate Well No. 34. PumpMan Norcal was selected through an informal competitive bid process conducted by staff in which six contractors were notified by email and two bids were received by the due date, as follows:
|
Bidder Name |
Bid Amount |
|
Pump Man Norcal |
$239,120 |
|
L.O. Lynch |
$269,650 |
At the time, the Purchase Order with PumpMan Norcal was not Council-approved because it was below the requisite threshold of $250,000 for Council approval.
Repair work commenced on September 18, 2023. Sand production encountered during the rehabilitation necessitated additional work scope and change orders. It was initially believed that voids may have developed in the well gravel pack due to improper consolidation during the original well construction which reduced the performance of the gravel pack in filtering out sand. Additional work was performed to aid in consolidating the gravel pack to remove the voids.
The project experienced inconsistent sand production during the next phase of the well rehabilitation, test pumping and surging. A dynamic video survey was performed which allowed the well to be inspected while pumping and a small hole was observed in the well casing at 418 feet below ground surface where material was entering. The well casing hole was patched. Test pumping and surging resumed. The additional work included consolidation of the existing gravel pack, additional test pumping and surging, dynamic video survey and patching of the well casing hole. The total amount of change orders was $84,714.
The total project cost including change orders is $323,834.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The actions being considered as a Class 1 Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(b) as it consists of maintenance of an existing publicly-owned utility with negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the Well No. 34 Rehabilitation project is $323,834 and is funded by existing appropriations in the FY2023/24 Adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget under New and Replacement Wells project in the Water Utility Capital Fund. A budget amendment is not required.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office beginning the Thursday evening before the Tuesday meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Determine the Project to be categorically exempt from formal environmental review under CEQA Guidelines section 15301(b) (Class 1 - Existing Facilities);
2. Approve the Well No. 34 Rehabilitation Project and ratify the agreement with Bartley Pump PM LLC, dba PumpMan Norcal, in the amount of $323,834.
Staff
Reviewed by: Gary Welling, Director, Water & Sewer Utilities
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Purchase Order with Bartley Pump PM LLC, dba PumpMan Norcal