SR 05-08-2018 3I
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 8, 2018
Agenda Item: 3.I
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Director, Public Works, Office of Sustainability & the
Environment
Subject: Second Modification to WaterSmart Professional Services Agreement for
continued development, licensing and maintenance of WaterSmart Software
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a second modification to Professional Service Agreement #9878 in the amount
of $104,500 with WaterSmart Software, Inc. (WSI), a California-based company, for the
continued development, licensing and maintenance of WaterSmart, a web-based
customer engagement and data analytics software platform to track, compare and
provide water use analysis and efficiency reports. This will result in a six-year amended
agreement with a new total amount not to exceed of $294,500, with future funding
contingent upon Council budget approval.
Executive Summary
In the face of the recent severe drought and future limitations on imported water
availability, Santa Monica has set an ambitious goal of water self-sufficiency by 2020.
To help meet the goal of reducing water demand, WaterSmart is a web-based customer
engagement and data analytics software platform for customers and staff to track,
compare, analyze, and communicate on water use. Staff extensively utilizes
WaterSmart to communicate with customers and promote the City’s water conservation
programs. WaterSmart is also used in the City’s Automated Metering Infrastructure
(AMI) Pilot Program to analyze real-time water consumption data, quickly detect leaks,
and send alerts. Staff requests a second modification to the agreement with
WaterSmart Software, Inc. in the amount of $104,500, for a new total amount not to
exceed $294,500 over a six-year period, and to extend the contract by two years with a
new expiration date of June 30, 2020.
Background
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Council approved the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP), which includes a list of
water conservation programs and projects to help the City meet its water self -sufficiency
goal by 2020. This list includes the purchase of WaterSmart. Following a competitive
request for proposals (RFP) process, Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate
and execute a professional service agreement with W aterSmart Software, Inc. for the
licensing, development and maintenance of WaterSmart for a total amount not to
exceed $190,000 over a four-year period on February 25, 2014 (Attachment A). Staff
subsequently executed a first modification to this agreement to extend the contract
expiration to June 30, 2018.
Discussion
WaterSmart provides a user-friendly dashboard for water customers and staff to track
and compare water usage.
Over 6,000 single-family water customers use the system to supplement their bimonthly
utility bill with:
Easy-to-understand graphs and charts to show water customers their usage
compared to their Water Use Allowance
Customized suggestions to conserve water
Comparisons of their water use to similar size homes in the City
High-usage alerts and tools to communicate with staff
A May 2017 survey of the City’s single-family water customers conducted by
WaterSmart Software, Inc. showed 70% of respondents were more water efficient as a
result of the WaterSmart reports and that satisfaction with City water services increased
from 65% to 73%.
The system allows water staff to:
View and analyze consumption for all water accounts citywide. Data can be
viewed and analyzed by customer class, consumption, geography, and individual
account.
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Identify potential leaks and generate leak reports used by staff to notify
customers
Notify customers via text and voice alerts to potential leaks
Engage customers on ongoing water-saving measures such as conservation
programs and rebates through email and group messaging
In addition, WaterSmart is a critical tool used to track water usage and evaluate savings
for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Pilot Program. The initial pilot phase of
the program replaced approximately 700, or 4%, of the City’s meters with new, AMI-
enabled units. The first phase of the pilot program concluded in March 2018 and
successfully demonstrated the technical feasibility and reliability of AMI within the City.
Now staff are using WaterSmart to assess water usage savings, view and analyze AMI
data, immediately identify leaks and high usage patterns, and send customer alerts and
notifications. Continued access to WaterSmart would allow data collection to include all
seasonal fluctuations in water use and would provide time for staff to complete an
analysis of the AMI water savings by the end of FY 2018-19.
A second modification to the agreement with WaterSmart Software, Inc. through June
30, 2020, would allow staff to continue using the software for water conservation
promotion, finalize a study to accurately determine water conservation from WaterSmart
and conduct a full water savings analysis of the AMI Pilot Project.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The agreement modification to be awarded to WaterSmart Software, Inc. is $104,500
for an amended contract total not to exceed $294,500. Funds in the amount of $36,377
are included in the Proposed FY 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program budget. Funds
in the amount of $15,873 are included and in the Proposed FY 2018-19 operating
budget in the Public Works Department. The contract will be charged to the following
accounts:
C250388.589000 $36,377
25671.533580 $15,873
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TOTAL $52,250 (covering the first year of the two year extension totaling
$104,500)
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Thomas Fleming, Sustainability Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Staff Report - February 25, 2014
B. Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form - WaterSmart Software
REFERENCE:
Modified Agreement
No. 9878
(CCS)