Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

TO:	David L. Corliss – City Manager Diane Stoddard - Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay – Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Melinda Harger – Utilities Engineer
CC:	Dave Wagner – Director of Utilities Mike Lawless – Deputy Director of Utilities Philip Ciesielski – Assistant Director of Utilities Beth Krishtalka – Assistant to Director
DATE:	January 28, 2015
RE:	Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with The Watershed Institute and Land Trust related to UT1304 Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant and Conveyance Corridor

Background/Project Description

The 2012 Wastewater Utilities Master Plan and Capital Improvements Program recommend the construction of the Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and Conveyance Corridor facilities to be online in 2018. These improvements are required to mitigate wet weather surcharging of sanitary sewers along the 31^st Street Corridor, provide for relief of wet weather overloading at the existing WWTP, and provide additional organic treatment capacity to provide for future growth of the community.

Project Details

UT1304 Contract 3 includes road improvements for E1600 Rd (O’Connell Rd) and N1175 Rd (41^st Street) to provide access to the Wakarusa WWTP. E1600 Rd will be the primary access to the facility from N1100 Rd. The elevation of E1600 Rd will be raised above the 100-yr flood event and improved to an Alternative City Street Construction Standard. Due to the impact of the road width expansion on the existing roadside ditches, the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) is requiring the City to purchase 0.85 acres of wetland mitigation credits from The Watershed Land Trust (see attached letter) as a condition of the permit to construct E1600 Rd. The Watershed Land Trust has provided the City with the attached agreement for the purchase of 0.85 wetland credits in the amount of $63,750.

Project Schedule

The improvements to E1600 Rd cannot begin without the USACE permit. To complete the road improvements to coincide with the Wakarusa WWTP construction, the City must purchase wetland mitigation credits as directed by the USACE. The USACE permit will be issued after they receive notification from the Watershed Land Trust that the credits have been purchased. King’s Construction would like to begin fill placement on E1600 Rd as soon as ground conditions are favorable and expect to complete the work by the end of May 2015. We anticipate the Wakarusa WWTP construction (Contract 4) will be awarded in March, but mobilization on the site will not occur until May 2015. Work on both construction contracts will proceed concurrently with only a small overlap in the construction schedules.

Project Funding

The project is included in the Department of Utilities Rate Plan and Capital Improvement Program.

Action

Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with The Watershed Institute and Land Trust and purchase 0.85 wetland credits in the amount of $63,750 related to UT1304 Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant and Conveyance Corridor.