To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Phil Brun, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Sara Gallegos, Management Analyst II
TITLE:
Title
Environmental Laboratory Analyses Services for Water Quality Monitoring
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Authorize the Utilities Director to approve a Services Agreement with Caltest Analytical Laboratory in an amount not to exceed $275,000 for environmental laboratory analyses services, and determine this action is exempt from CEQA.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Utilities Department’s Water Treatment Division uses Caltest Analytical Laboratory (Caltest) to perform specialized laboratory analyses on water samples collected throughout the treatment process, distribution, and transmission systems. In addition, Caltest performs laboratory analyses for samples gathered throughout the watershed pursuant to the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Napa County for the Watershed Water Quality Monitoring of the Hennessey and Milliken Watersheds. Under this MOU, costs are shared equally between the City and County for tributary water sampling at up to 32 locations (25 in Hennessey watershed and 7 in Milliken watershed) up to a total of $400,000 or $200,000 each.
The first full implementation year of the monitoring and analyses was drought year FY2020-2021, that had an historic low volume of runoff into Lake Hennessey and limited opportunity to gather samples to implement the water quality monitoring. The cost of analyses in prior years did not exceed staff authorization. However, due to the storms and runoff in current year FY2022-2023, most tributary sample sites had flow sufficient for sampling and monitoring and it is anticipated that additional sampling events will be executed through April or May depending on rainfall
Caltest is the only Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certified laboratory located in Napa County able to perform the large quantity of analyses, many with short hold times, to ensure accurate data. Expenditures exceeding $125,000 require City Council authorization. It is anticipated that total annual expenditures with Caltest will soon exceed this threshold. Staff recommends City Council authorize the Utilities Director to enter a Services Agreement with Caltest Analytical Laboratory in an amount not to exceed $275,000.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
There are sufficient funds in Water Enterprise Fund operating account 53060117-53210 for water treatment, distribution and transmission system sample analyses. There are also sufficient funds in Water Capital Supply account 53160133-63WS23UT02 for the watershed water quality monitoring and analyses. Napa County will reimburse the City for 50% of the cost of Caltest’s services in accordance with the MOU.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that the Recommended Action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(a) (Existing Facilities) which exempts operation, repair, maintenance or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographic features involving no expansion of use beyond that previously existing.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
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NOTIFICATION:
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