Title
Environmental Management Department recommending the Board consider the following pertaining to the Union Mine Wastewater Treatment Plant Headworks construction phase project located at 5700 Union Mine Road, El Dorado, CA 95623:
1) Approve and adopt the plans and specifications and authorize the chair to sign the bid documents; and
2) Authorize the advertisement for construction bids (Bid Number 24-0056).
FUNDING: American Rescue Plan Act (91%), Liquid Waste (9%).
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On May 10, 2021, The U.S. Department of the Treasury awarded the County of El Dorado a combined total of $37.46 million via the American Rescue Plan Act. All funds must be obligated to a specific expense no later than December 2024 and spent by December 2026. Environmental Management submitted a request to include seven items, the first of which was for our Union Mine headworks project estimated at $2,600,000. This request was approved by the Board and Environmental Management developed a plan to accomplish this.
On January 24, 2023, the Board approved the contract awarded to Stantec Consulting (Legistar File 22-2126; RFP 22-918-052) to provide general engineering and construction quality assurance services to the Union Mine Wastewater Treatment Facility. The current headworks equipment has reached the end of its life expectancy and is no longer efficiently removing septage contaminants, as such these contaminants are accelerating wear on the downstream equipment such as aeration diffusers, pumps, and piping. The installation of the new headworks system will mitigate this ongoing issue and the old headwork system and will be used as a backup. Based on the limitations of the existing septage receiving station, the Stantec Design Report will be used to assist the Contractor in design and construction, to improve the headworks facilities to increase reliability, reduce operational and maintenance costs, and allow for quicker truck discharge.
The estimated project cost has increased since the approval on May 10, 2021 and is now estimated at $2,864,000. Liquid Waste funds will be used for the estimated increase. Upon approval by the Board, Procurement and Contracts Division and Environmental Management will finalize the bid schedule, advertise for bids, and return to the Board with a recommendation for award at the conclusion of the bid process.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to deny the approval of this construction project. This would inhibit Environmental Management’s ability to secure these services and complete this project in alignment with the ARPA funding requirements.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion/Background above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management have approved the bid documents.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The adopted Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget includes ARPA funding specifically budgeted under County Service Area No. 10 - Liquid Waste funds for these services. Future budgets will also include funding for the remaining term of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Chair’s signature on the bid documents (Attachment B - Notice to Bidders) and provide the Department with one original.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Infrastructure
CONTACT
Jeffrey Warren, REHS
Director
Environmental Management Department