CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	Utilities		Commission Meeting Date: September 6, 2016
Staff Contact:	Aurora Shields, Water Quality Manager
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Authorize purchase of laboratory instrumentation and related components for analytical testing of lead and other metals from sole source vendor Perkin Elmer Health Sciences Inc. for the City’s Lawrence H2O Lead Awareness Program, in the total amount of $120,173.85 pursuant to government contract.
Executive Summary:		Tests for lead from dwelling taps, as prescribed by Federal law, indicate that City water is below mandated “action levels” for lead. However, the potential for lead contamination still exists, with the water industry recognizing that there is no safe level of lead. The City’s recently established Lawrence H2O Lead Awareness Program contains various components to expand community awareness and help reduce lead exposure wherever identified. A key component is a new In-house Lead Testing Capability, through which qualified, experienced water quality staff would perform lead testing in the newly expanded laboratory at the Kansas River Wastewater Treatment Plan in lieu of outsourcing to other laboratories, often with a three to four week turnaround time. In-house Lead Testing Capability is dependent upon purchase of the proposed lead testing instrumentation.
Strategic Goal Area:		Public Safety
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		Laboratory instrumentation purchases are necessary to ensure ongoing quality control, regulatory compliance and changing conditions. Funding for this instrumentation purchase is from the Utilities Fund 501 Non-Bonded Construction.
Attachments:		None.