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City Council Meeting: November 23, 2010
Agenda Item: 3°g
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Acting Director of Public Works
Subject: Water Sampling, Flow Monitoring and Reporting Services
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a
professional services agreement with URS Corporation, aCalifornia-based company, in the
amount of $150,711 including a 90% contingency to conduct water quality sampling, flow
monitoring, and reporting for the Palisades Bluffs horizontal drains.
Executive Summary
Pursuant to the City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, water
quality sampling, flow monitoring, and reporting services are required for the groundwater
discharge from the horizontal drains recently installed by the Palisades Bluffs Stabilization
Project. URS Corporation is recommended to provide this service in the amount of $150,711,
including a 10% contingency.
Background
On September 8, 2009, City Council awarded a construction contract for the Palisades Bluffs
Stabilization Project.- The project included the installation of 82 new horizontal drains clustered
at five locations near the base of the Palisades Bluffs adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
between the California Incline and the northern City limit.
Discussion
The installation of the Palisades Bluffs horizontal drains was completed in May 2010. The
horizontal drains are connected to existing storm drain catch basins on the east side of PCH.
The City's NPDES permit for the horizontal drains allows discharge of the groundwater to the
storm drain system pursuant to Order No. R4-2008-0032, Monitoring & Reporting Program No.
CI-9361. Groundwater collected by the horizontal drains and discharged to the existing storm
drain system must be periodically monitored, sampled, and tested in accordance with the
City's NPDES permit to ensure that the .discharged groundwater meets water quality
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standards. The NPDES permit also requires the' City to report water quality results to the
Regional Water Quality Control Board. The current NPDES permit for the discharge of
groundwater from the horizontal drains will expire on June 5, 2013. The professional services
outlined in this report are required until the expiration of the NPDES permit. City staff will
initiate discussions with the Regional Water Quality Control Board to reduce the monitoring
frequencies if statistical trends of the monitoring data are in compliance with the permit
requirements.
Consultant Selection
On June 22, 2010, the City issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for discharge water
testing and reporting services related to the recently completed Palisades Bluffs Stabilization
Project. The RFQ was made available on the City's online bidding system, PlanetBids. Twenty-
five prospective bidders made requests for the RFQ and seven qualification statements were
received on July 20, 2010. Staff recommends URS Corporation, located in Los Angeles,
California, as the best qualified bidder based on their fee, quality of services offered, and
familiarity with the permit requirements. URS Corporation was the City's engineering
consultant for the Palisades Bluffs Stabilization Project. URS Corporation was responsible for
maintaining and updating the City's NPDES permit during the design and construction phase
of the project including monthly testing of the groundwater discharge and submitting quarterly
and annual reports to the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The total cost to perform the necessary testing, monitoring, and reporting for a period of three
years is $150,711 including a 10% contingency. Funds are available in account number
0170685.589000 -Palisades Bluffs Project.
Prepared by: Allan Sheth, Civil Engineering Associate
Approve Forwarded to Council:
Susan i Rod Gould
Acting Director of Public Works City Manager
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Reference Contract No.
9295 (CCS).