Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

TO:	David L. Corliss – City Manager Cynthia Wagner - Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard - Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Philip Ciesielski – Assistant Director of Utilities
CC:	Dave Wagner – Director of Utilities Mike Lawless – Assistant Director of Utilities Beth Frailey Krishtalka – Assistant to Director
Date:	December 29, 2010

RE: Agenda Item - Extension of Contract with Marsh McBirney – Hach for data delivery services related to Project UT1101CS the long-term sanitary sewer flow and rainfall monitoring program for 2011.

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the January 4, 2011 meeting:

Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract renewal with Marsh McBirney – Hach, for the period of January 2011 through December 2011, for data delivery services associated with the wastewater collection system’s long-term flow and rainfall monitoring program in the amount of $52,800.00.

Program History: From October 2006 through December 2010 the Department of Utilities has contracted with Marsh – McBirney Hach for data delivery services associated with the long-term flow monitoring program consisting of thirty one (31) flow meters and eight (8) rain gauges deployed at various locations throughout the city, see the attached map.

Accurate flow and rainfall data is a key component in the ongoing assessment of existing system infrastructure and CIP needs during the wastewater master planning process. As part of the past two Wastewater Master Plans (1995 and 2003), the consultant acquired this information based on limited meter locations and flow monitoring periods. For example, the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan deployed 4 rain gauges and 6 flow meters during April and May 2000. This limited data was then applied across the entire system and used to assess system capacity, integrity and CIP needs.

The current long-term flow monitoring, across the entire wastewater collections system, and over an extended period has resulted in a significant savings in consultant fees on the current Wastewater Master Plan effort versus contracting with consultant to provide similar services. The ongoing program has provided a superior quantity, quality and coverage of data for use in the Wastewater Master Plan. The continued acquisition of the flow and rainfall data provides the necessary information to continue to make operational decisions, assess the success of pipe and manhole rehabilitation projects, and continuously update the calibration of the hydraulic model in response to system improvements and growth.

Program Status: The current contract term expired at the end of December 2010 and staff are recommending the continuation of the services contract for seven (7) flow meters and three (3) rain gauges for the term January 2011 through December 2011.

In conjunction with the current Wastewater Master Plan effort a hydraulic model of the wastewater collections system is being constructed and calibrated by Burns & McDonnell. Department of Utilities staff have worked with Burns & McDonnell as part of the modeling effort to determine a recommended flow meter and rain gauge deployment that provides for continued data acquisition to support model calibration, operational decisions and development related capacity questions; and fits within the reduced funds budgeted for 2011 of $115,000.00. Based on these efforts Staff are recommending the continued deployment of seven (7) flow meters and three (3) rain gauges at the locations on the attached map. Six (6) of these locations provide for the continued acquisition of flow data along major interceptor lines to the wastewater treatment plant. The seventh location is on the bypass of pump station PS16 located north of 6^th and Kentucky. This location is being maintained in compliance with KDHE’s requirement to continuously monitor the bypass for flow and acquire the data necessary to quantify any flows in the event that the pump station is bypassed.

As the Master Plan activities are completed Staff anticipates relocating some, or all, of these flow meters to gather flow data in advance of proposed 2012 Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation projects. These areas would be metered again after the completion of CIPP projects to quantify the effectiveness of the CIPP.

The fee for data delivery services has remained the same since the original 2006 contract. The rates are $500/month per flow meter and $300/month per rain gauge. Per the contract Marsh McBirney – Hach provide all required ongoing maintenance and field services on the flow meters and rain gauges including; battery replacement, calibration, meter replacement due to damage and service on malfunctioning units. The contract contains provisions to credit the monthly charges for flow meters and/or rain gauges that do not provide a set level of accurate data over the month. Department Staff review the data regularly and provide information on nonperforming meters and gauges to Marsh McBirney – Hach for the proper invoice adjustment.

Project Funding: Funding for the program comes from the Wastewater Operations and Maintenance budget. A total of $115,000.00 was budgeted for 2011 for 12 months of service.

Action Request: Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract renewal with Marsh McBirney – Hach, for the period of January 2011 through December 2011, for data delivery services associated with the wastewater collection system’s long-term flow and rainfall monitoring program in the amount of $52,800.00.