TO: Members of the Governing Board
FROM: Christopher Silke, District Engineer
REPORT BY: Christopher Silke, District Engineer
SUBJECT: Approval of Plans and Specifications and Authorization to Advertise for Bids for Wastewater Disposal Sprayfields Project, NB 23-02
RECOMMENDATION
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District Engineer requests the approval of Plans and Specifications for the Wastewater Disposal Sprayfields Project, NB 23-02 and authorization to advertise for sealed bids and opening of the bids at a time, date, and location to be published by the District Engineer pursuant to Section 20150.8 of the Public Contract Code.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
District staff have prepared design plans and specifications to reconstruct the wastewater disposal sprayfields system. Temporary repairs were conducted on a portion of the treated effluent land disposal area immediately after the LNU Wildfire Complex. After an extensive post-fire evaluation of the District’s facilities by agents of the Golden State Risk Management Authority (GSRMA) and negotiations with staff and the Risk Manager for Napa County, NBRID was issued a total of $1,656,941 to cover the cost of immediate repairs of damaged infrastructure and essential facility losses incurred during the fire. The balance of unobligated insurance proceeds remaining for NBRID projects is currently $833,959.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Budget transfer to be requested at the time of construction contract award after Contractor bids are reviewed for completeness and budget conformance. Source of the budget transfer will originate from insurance settlement proceeds residing in Fund 1000, Org 1058006 - 2020 Lightning Fire Complex. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Rebuilding the wastewater disposal sprayfields system after severe wildfire damage is essential to satisfy operating permit guidelines within District’s Waste Discharge Requirements Order issued by Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Maximizing the permitted land coverage area for treated wastewater effluent disposal may reserve sufficient capacity to serve future sanitary flows from the proposed resort development at the Steele Canyon Recreation Area. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The District will be left with stored pond water each season risking a winter spill into the environment. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Effective and Open Government |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Consideration and possible adoption of a Categorical Exemption Class 2: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. [See Class 2 (“Replacement or Reconstruction”) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act at 14 CCR §15302.]
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Napa Berryessa Resort Improvement District (“District”) is a special district of the State of California organized under the Resort Improvement District Law (Public Resources Code Section 13000 et seq.) for the provisions of water and sewer service in an unincorporated portion of the County of Napa. The District provides water and sewer service to the Berryessa Highlands and Oakridge Estates subdivisions.
On August 19, 2020, the LNU Lightning Fire Complex burned through the community, destroying over 100 homes and damaging or destroying critical elements of infrastructure needed to operate the water and wastewater facilities, including the complete loss of an irrigation system spanning 60 acres in coverage to disposal of treated wastewater effluent. The District received an insurance settlement to reconstruct the land disposal system after spot repairs were completed to temporarily sustain operations. Majority of the piping, fittings, valves and spray nozzles not replaced during emergency repairs has been weakened and prone to leaks, breaks and frequent maintenance. Funds will be transferred from the insurance settlement account into a newly created construction project at the time of recommending a contract award to the apparent low qualified bidder.
The original land disposal irrigation system consists of vintage steel transmission pipe from a pump station into the steep terrain above wastewater storage ponds, a 50,000 gallon tank and several thousand feet of galvanized pipe laterals and risers with small diameter irrigation nozzles that clog perpetually by rust particles flaking off the iron pipe. Galvanized pipe, fittings and spray nozzles left in service after the wildfire have been problematic and subject to weekly service work when online seasonally.
A newly designed wastewater disposal sprayfield system will encompass the entire District owned parcel yielding more surface area for land application, not be susceptible to iron corrosion, give more flexibility to apply water over subzones, require much less maintenance by Operators and improve fire resiliency with a wider wet break line of defense.
District Engineer requests approval to advertise the project for sealed bids and opening of the bids at a time, date, and location to be the District Engineer pursuant to Section 20150.8 of the Public Contract Code.