HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/20/2000 - STAFF REPORTS (4) DATE: September 20, 2000
TO: City Council
FROM: Assistant City Manager-Special projects
GROUND WATER DISPERSION MODEL
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that City Council authorize staff to provide US Filter Operating
Services a Notice To Proceed to complete a Ground Water Dispersion Model as
contemplated in Section 5.2(t) of Agreement#4121 (the US Filter 5-year operations
& Maintenance Agreement).
BACKGROUND:
The Regional Water Quality Board has had ongoing discussions concerning
increasing levels of nitrates in the ground water. At this point in time, no order has
been issued to mandate nitrate removal at the Treatment Plant; however, that is
expected. Nitrate removal is a very costly process which is not currently carried out
at the plant and is of serious concern by allthat are interested in water quality. The
upcoming expansion must include nitrate removal.
Whatever the problem that is causing nitrates to reach the water table, it needs to be
dealt with. It cannot be dealt with properly without first attempting to isolate the
sources and to what degree the problem exists. The Wastewater Treatment Plant has
monitoring wells upstream and downstream which are regularly sampled. A Ground
Water Dispersion Model can be developed utilizing data from the various wells to
determine if nitrates are coming from the Treatment Plantor elsewhere and at what
levels. One of the prices that the Treatment Plantproposers had to provide as part
of the proposal process was that of conducting a Ground Water Dispersion Model.
Both of the firms that were asked to propose offered to do the work for$100,000 over
a twelve month period. The information from the modeling will be needed for the
actual design of the nitrate removal system to be installed at the plant, as well as
background for environmental documentation.
Funds are available in the Wastewater Treatment Plant budget, account#420-6800-
50000, Unscheduled Capital Projects.
A Minute Order is attached authorizing US Filter Operating Services to proceed.
ALLEN F. SMOOT, AAE
Assistant City Manager-Spe ial Projects
APPROVED
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ATTACHMENTS: flNAIV�
1. Minute Order
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MINUTE ORDER NO.
AUTHORIZING US FILTER OPERATING SERVICES
TO PROCEED WITH THE GROUND WATER
DISPERSIONMODELAS OUTLINED IN SECTION 5.2
(t) OF AGREEMENT#4121 FOR A TOTAL COST OF
$100,000.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this Minute Order, authorizing US Filter Operating Services to
proceed with the Ground Water Dispersion Model as outlined in Section 5.2(t)ofAgreement
#4121 for a total cost of$100,000, was adopted by the City Council of the City of Palm
Springs, California, in a meeting thereof held on the 20'day of September 2000.
PATRICIA A. SANDERS
City Clerk
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