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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/19/2018 Perform a Feasibility Study for an Emergency Water System BoardDocs® ProPage 1 of 4 Agenda Item Details MeetingJun 19, 2018 - REGULAR MEETING OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT VILLAGE BOARD - 7:00 p.m. Category8. VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT Subject8.5 MOTION TO ACCEPT PROPOSAL TO PERFORM A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AN EMERGENCY WATER SYSTEM INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THE NORTHWEST WATER COMMISSION AND THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT PROSPECT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $26,500. AccessPublic TypeAction Preferred DateJun 19, 2018 Absolute DateJun 19, 2018 Fiscal ImpactYes Dollar Amount26,500.00 BudgetedYes Budget SourceWATER/SEWER ENTERPRISE FUND Recommended ActionAccept a proposal from Burns & McDonnell consulting engineers to perform a feasibility study for an emergency interconnection between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect water distribution systems in an amount not to exceed $26,500. Staff also recommends that the Village Board authorize staff to enter into an agreement (Letter of Understanding) between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect to equally share ($13,250 each) the cost of the study. Public Content Background The Village owns and operates a water distribution system that provides potable water to approximately 42,000 residents at an average rate of 3.2 million gallons per day (MGD). The area served by the Village-owned system is depicted on the map enclosed as Attachment A. Residents not served by the Village-owned system receive drinking water from a separate system owned and operated by the Illinois American Water Company. Source water for the Village-owned system is drawn from Lake Michigan and treated by the City of Chicago. It is subsequently distributed to the Village and six (6) other northwest suburban municipalities including Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Hanover Park, Streamwood, and Rolling Meadows. Water is distributed via a system of reservoirs, pumps, and pipelines owned and operated by Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency (NSMJAWA, commonly known as JAWA). Attached B depicts the NSMJAWA distribution system. NSMJAWA facilities include 54 miles of transmission water main ranging in size from 16 to 90 inches in diameter that provide drinking water to a 95 square mile service area. The main pumping station is situated at O’Hare airport and features seven (7) pumps that have the capacity to move 130 million gallons of water per day. The main pumping station also hosts two (2) 10 million gallon water storage reservoirs. There are also two (2) 5-million gallon standpipes on the west end of the system in Hoffman Estates. https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Private?open&login6/26/2018 BoardDocs® ProPage 2 of 4 The Village-owned water system also has 8.8 million gallons of water storage held in seven (7) tanks accessed via a combination of 16 booster pumps. This storage and booster pumping capacity could satisfy the Village's water demand for 2-3 days in the event water delivery from NSMJAWA is interrupted. In addition, the Village has four (4) interconnections with neighboring water supplies including the Village of Arlington Heights, City of Des Plaines, and Illinois American Water Company. Generally, these interconnections are small and capable of supplementing the Village's water supply for short periods of time but not completely replacing it. As an emergency back-up source of water, the Village maintains five (5) deep wells that access groundwater from the Mount Simon sandstone aquifer. The pumps are set an an average depth of 900 feet and are capable of generating up to 8.9 million gallons of raw water per day. This well water system is capable of satisfying the Village's average demand (3.2 MGD) and peak demand (6.6 MGD) for an extended period of time. The Village has maintained this back-up well water system since transferring to Lake Michigan water in 1987. To date, there has been no need to utilize the wells for source water beyond routine water quality testing and exercising of the equipment. Problem Statement Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) regulations and water industry best management practices require monthly operation and raw water quality sampling at each of the Village's five (5) deep wells. Despite this limited utilization, maintenance of these wells require significant capital expenditures. During 2013 and 2014, the Village expended over $534,000 to rehabilitate the deep well adjacent to Booster Station 5. The scope of repairs included replacement of failed column pipe and well shaft, pump bowl assembly replacement, airline replacement, and rehabilitation of the 500 horsepower electric motor that turns the pump bowl assembly. In addition, a portion of the well had to be lined and sealed with grout to isolate the wellhead from a bacteria film that had grown on the surface of the sandstone. Unfortunately, this type of maintenance expenditure is not unusual. To a large extent, well maintenance is expensive because the components are difficult to access, are submerged in water resulting in corrosion and metal fatigue, and are subject to tremendous torque when operated. In the current community investment program (CIP), staff anticipates spending as much as $510,000 to rehabilitate Well 16 in 2020, and a similar amount is anticipated for the rehabilitation of Well 17 in 2022. The rehabilitation of Wells 4 and 11 in outlier years are expected to be equally expensive. In total, as much as $2 million could be expended during the next 5-7 years maintaining the Village's back-up water supply. Furthermore, these expenses are likely to recur on a 10-15 year cycle. In addition, it is relevant to note that the chemistry of groundwater differs substantially from surface (Lake Michigan) water. Notably, groundwater is harder than surface water (has more dissolved minerals) and has different taste characteristics. When the Village relied on groundwater as its primary source of drinking water, many customers maintained water softeners in their homes and businesses to ameliorate these problems. Today, most softeners have been removed and customers are not prepared to treat hard drinking water. Discussion The Northwest Water Commission (NWC) is a joint action water agency similar in purpose and organization to the Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency (NSMJAWA). It distributes potable water drawn from Lake Michigan by the City of Evanston to the Villages of Palatine, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, and Wheeling. It also provides water to a portion of the City of Des Plaines. It's main pumping station is located just outside Mount Prospect corporate boundaries near the intersection of Wolf Road and Kensington Road. It's primary distribution main dissects the Village, from east to west, along the Kensington Road right-of-way. A map depicting NWC's adjacency is enclosed as Attachment C. This close proximity to the Village of Mount Prospect water distribution system offers a unique opportunity to access a separate, distinct, ample source of fully treated, finished Lake Michigan drinking water. In essence, a second "straw" into Lake Michigan. For several weeks, Northwest Water Commission staff and Village staff have discussed the viability of such an interconnection. Initial analysis suggests it is feasible. In fact, the respective staffs have concluded it is likely the NWC can supply the Village up to 10 MGD; satisfying both average and peak daily demands. It is also possible that by leveraging NSMJAWA infrastructure, existing Mount Prospect pumping facilities, or constructing new pumping https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Private?open&login6/26/2018 BoardDocs® ProPage 3 of 4 facilities, the Village could supply NWC with as much as a third of its average daily demand of 26 million gallons. However, these conclusions require further engineering analysis. To this end, staff has asked Burns & McDonnell engineering consultants to submit a proposal to provide the requisite services necessary to fully evaluate this proposed emergency interconnection. The proposed scope of work includes acquiring system performance criteria from NWC, NSMJAWA, and the Village, evaluating connection alternatives, developing cost-benefit scenarios including establishing life-cycle costs, analyzing water chemistry, creating layout concept drawings, meeting with respective staffs, preparation of a final report, and a presentation to the Village Board. Burns & McDonnell will also evaluate the potential for abandoning the Village's wells in the event an adequate interconnection with NWC is constructed. Abandoning and capping the wells, preventing further use, would avoid expensive future maintenance costs. The firm's proposal is attached for reference (Attachment D). Burns & McDonnell is uniquely positioned to perform this work due to their considerable familiarity with the Village- owned water distribution system. They have designed and helped construct numerous Village-owned water main improvements. They have also developed a computer network model capable of hydraulically simulating the Village water system. In addition, the firm serves as engineering consultants to NWSMJAWA and are intrinsically familiar with their facilities and operating parameters. Staff has concluded that this experience, skill set, and knowledge base make Burns & McDonnell the best qualified firm to perform this work. Burns & McDonnell's proposal includes a fee request totaling $26,500 for 180 hours of work effort. The work equates to an average rate of $147/hour. It is the opinion of staff that this rate is reasonable and equitable for the high order analysis and discovery this proposed project requires. In addition, the Northwest Water Commission has agreed to participate in the cost of this study. To this end, attorneys at Schain, Banks, Kenny & Schwartz, LTD of Chicago, Illinois have drafted the attached (Attachment E) Letter of Understanding (LOU) establishing that the NWC will pay for one-half of Burns & McDonnell's fee and the Village will pay the remainder. Funds will initially be remitted in full by the Village and recouped at a later date from NWC. The NWC Board of Commissioners approved this LOU at their April 2018 meeting. The Village Attorney has reviewed and sanctioned this instrument. This LOU pertains only to the interconnection feasibility study work referenced herein and does not obligate the Village or the NWC to additional work. Decisions regarding performance of additional work, timing of additional work, and funding for additional work will be made by the respective agency boards following receipt and consideration of the feasibility study final report. Staff expects that it will take approximately 60 days complete the prescribed work and present project deliverables (final report and Village Board presentation). Alternatives 1. Accept proposal from Burns & McDonnell to perform feasibility study for an Drinking Water System Emergency Interconnection between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect 2. Authorize staff to enter into an agreement to equally share costs of the feasibility study with the Northwest Water Commission. 3. Action at discretion of Village Board. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends that the Village Board accept a proposal from Burns & McDonnell consulting engineers to perform a feasibility study for an emergency interconnection between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect water distribution systems in an amount not to exceed $26,500. Staff also recommends that the Village Board authorize the Director of Public Works to enter into an agreement (Letter of Understanding) between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect to equally share ($13,250 each) the cost of the study. Attachment A _ VOMP Water Service Area Map.pdf (1,951 KB) Attachment B _ NSMJAWA Map.pdf (731 KB)Attachment C _ NWC MAP.JPG (317 KB) https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Private?open&login6/26/2018 BoardDocs® ProPage 4 of 4 Attachment D _ VOMP Proposal for NWC Alt Water Supply 2018-05-07 (002).pdf (130 KB) Attachment E _ FINAL LETTER-OF-UNDERSTANDING - NWWC AND MT PROSPECT COST SHRING .pdf (156 KB) Administrative Content This statement, which is given with no cause, could generate some negative commentary by concerned residents (is our radioactive groundwater a public health concern?) "Most importantly, assessments of the Mount Simon (Cambrian/Ordovician) aquifer performed in 2014 and 2015 indicate high background radioactivity (radium and gross alpha) which could limit the suitability of the water source for periods of time exceeding 30-45 days." Either more explanation is needed, or it should be struck from the memo. Is this the main reason we are abandoning the well system? Executive Content NOTE: Assessments of the Mount Simon (Cambrian/Ordovician) aquifer performed in 2014 and 2015 indicate high background radioactivity (radium and gross alpha) which could limit the suitability of the water source for periods of time exceeding 30-45 days. Reliance on well water beyond the short term could require introduction of expensive treatment technologies, such as reverse osmosis, to remove the radioactive isotopes. Motion & Voting Accept a proposal from Burns & McDonnell consulting engineers to perform a feasibility study for an emergency interconnection between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect water distribution systems in an amount not to exceed $26,500. Staff also recommends that the Village Board authorize staff to enter into an agreement (Letter of Understanding) between the Northwest Water Commission and the Village of Mount Prospect to equally share ($13,250 each) the cost of the study. Motion by Paul Hoefert, second by Richard Rogers. Final Resolution: Motion Carries Yea: William Grossi, Eleni Hatzis, Paul Hoefert, Richard Rogers, Colleen Saccotelli, Michael Zadel https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Private?open&login6/26/2018