COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council
FROM: Doyle Wilson, Water Resources Coordinator
SUBJECT:Title
Adopt Resolution No. 18-3196 Approving and Authorizing the Execution of the Planning and Design Technical Assistance Agreement with the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority for the Water Treatment Augmentation Feasibility Study
Body
FUNDING SOURCE:
Irrigation and Drainage District Fund
PURPOSE:
To authorize the City Manager to execute the technical assistance agreement, accepting a $35,000 grant for a water treatment augmentation study.
BACKGROUND:
The water quality of treated wastewater has a total dissolved solids (TDS) content 2-3 times higher than municipal treated water, which has an initial considerable TDS level and is considered very hard.
For decades, residential and commercial water softeners and reverse osmosis systems have been in use to further treat the municipal supply. These end user steps provide better water quality, but at the expense of water waste, estimated at greater than 150 acre-feet/year. This brine water enters the sewer system, significantly degrading the quality of the treated wastewater.
Improving the source water quality at the City’s water treatment plant will eliminate the need for additional water treatment at the user end. The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) issued a planning and technical assistance funding opportunity in 2017 that Lake Havasu City pursued and won an award for $35,000.
Furthermore, the project submitted, Water Softening and Charcoal Filtration Water Treatment Additions Feasibility Study, was determined a green project by WIFA, which means there is no required matched funding from the City; however, the cost estimate from the City’s contractor, CH2M, is higher and the Water Division has budgeted funding to bear the additional costs.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The City faces Colorado River water shortages and has been working to maximize its water use efficiency. This project will determine whether enhanced water treatment will contribute to this effort. If so, eliminating water waste from discontinuation of water softeners and reverse osmosis systems will also improve treated wastewater quality that could then have the potential of revenue generation for multiple uses beyond irrigation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Appropriations are available in account 521-4507-421.31-11.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution No. 18-3196
WIFA TA Agreement
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
I move adopt Resolution No. 18-3196 approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute the Planning and Design Technical Assistance Agreement with the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority.