Title
Consider recommending that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors approve a professional services agreement with Larry Walker Associates for the preparation of an updated Title 22 Engineering Report for the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project and to assist the Agency in migration to the required Recycle Water Use Permit under the California State General Order for Water Reclamation Requirements, for a total amount not to exceed $181,390; and authorize the General Manager to execute the contract. (Staff Presenting: Peter Vannerus)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Planning Committee:
Recommend that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors approve a professional services agreement with Larry Walker Associates for the preparation of an updated Title 22 Engineering Report for the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project and to assist the Agency in migration to the required Recycle Water Use Permit under the California State General Order for Water Reclamation Requirements, for a total amount not to exceed amount of $181,390; and authorize the General Manager to execute the contract.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP) became active in 1998 and the recycled water usage area is permitted and regulated by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). This project was historically regulated under the Wastewater Discharge Requirement (WDR) Order No. 97-52, but the RWQCB has reviewed the CSIP system and determined the Project should be migrated to Recycle Water Use Permit. In 2016, the State Water Quality Control Board adopted the Water Reclamation Requirements for Recycled Water Use (Order WQ 2016-0068-DDW) and has since been migrating users of Recycle Water over to this permit.
The Agency received a letter from the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board on June 5, 2023, outlining the requirements to migrate to the new Recycle Water Permit with the deadline of September 1st, 2023, to submit the required Approved Title 22 Engineering Report, a Notice of Intent and the annual permit fee of $3,453. These are required to migrate to the new recycled water use permit. The Agency responded by letter on August 3rd, 2023, to inquire regarding the background for determination of the migration need, along with other questions and requested a meeting. After the meeting with the RWQCB and Agency staff in September 2023, it was determined that the Project did need to migrate to this newer permit as well as provide an updated Title 22 Engineering Report. The RWQCB acknowledged that the short timeline was insufficient to produce the required documents and is working with the Agency on a time extension.
To complete the permit migration, the Agency must produce a Title 22 Engineering Report for CSIP. The Agency released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to a list of local consulting firms in March 2024. Responses were evaluated by a panel of Agency staff and Larry Walker Associates (LWA) was selected as the most qualified respondent.
The Scope of Work for the project has two main components: producing an updated Title 22 Engineering report for CSIP and assisting the agency in the application and migration to the new Recycle Water Use Permit. To accomplish the task in the scope, the LWA team will first be reviewing all supporting CSIP documentation, reviewing current system equipment and infrastructure orientation as well as operations. They will evaluate the system against current Title 22 Recycle Water Usage Standards and will determine where and if compliance improvements are needed. The LWA team will then prepare the updated Title 22 Engineering report for CSIP. Once complete, the team will submit the required documents to the RWQCB and assist the Agency in the permit application process until its complete and the new Permit is issued. Additional tasks may be required and are accounted for under as-needed task estimates. The Contract will be from July 1st, 2024, to June 30th, 2026, with a not to exceed amount of $181,390.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Agency staff will work with M1W to identify and locate documents and information required for the Title 22 Engineering Report and permit migration.
FINANCING:
The contract total of $181,390 will be split over the two fiscal years in the contract term and will be funded through CSIP Fund 131. FY25 includes approximately $125,000 in budgeted funds for this project.
Prepared by: Peter Vannerus, Associate Water Resources Engineer, (831) 755-4860
Approved by: Ara Azhderian, General Manager, (831) 755-4860
Attachments:
1. Professional Services Agreement- Larry Walker Associates- CSIP Recycle Water Use Permit