CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	Municipal Services & Operations		Commission Meeting Date:  September 18, 2018
Staff Contact:	Dave Wagner, Director of Municipal Services & Operations Mike Lawless, Deputy Director
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Aqua Backflow Inc., to provide administrative services for the City of Lawrence Cross Connection Control Program.
Executive Summary:		The City of Lawrence as a water utility is required to administer a program to protect the potable water supply from backflow contamination to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Kansas Administrative Regulation 28-15-18(f). City of Lawrence Municipal Code Chapter 19 Article 7 and International Plumbing Code provide detailed requirements for the program. Municipal Services & Operations (MSO) Department staff proposes utilizing Aqua Backflow, Inc. to provide administrative services for the Cross Connection Control Program (i.e. the backflow inspection program). Aqua Backflow, Inc. will provide customer notification, data management, quality control, and customer service for the City’s Cross Connection Control Program. Utilizing this third party service will enhance the City’s ability to track required backflow assembly inspections and protect the public potable water supply. Staff selected Aqua Backflow, Inc. from among five other vendors of data management, software, and administrative services that support cross connection control programs. Vendor selection was based on experience, customer service levels, cost, feedback from references, data entry, and reporting features. Please see the attached Professional Services Agreement, associated Exhibit A, and Software Comparison for details. Aqua Backflow Inc. operations are funded by a $9.95 fee paid by certified backflow testers when they submit their customer backflow test results in the online program. Backflow assembly testing is required by City Code upon installation and annually by a certified tester. Aqua Backflow’s fee is less than or equal to other companies that offer the same set of services. Funding the Cross Connection Control program administrative functions through this fee ensures that owners or testers of backflow assemblies support the service instead of all water utility ratepayers.
Strategic Goal Area:		Core Services
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		The fiscal impact to the City is $0.00.  The fiscal impact to backflow assembly owners or testers is $9.95 for the submission of each assembly test certificate.
Attachments:		Professional Services Agreement Exhibit A Software Comparison

Reviewed By: (for CMO use only)

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