I'm in progress the agenda and move on to the next item which is communications. Do we have anything bill?
We do not have any communications for this committee. Mr. Chairman,
there is no old business. So the next item John on the agenda is new business and the first item is Item a contract number 2201255. This is the spring world's water treatment plant. Miss Porter.
Before I move into the I just wanted to give the board a heads up of something that we have been contending with. We were notified yesterday by the city of Trent have a water main break that was leaking. And we have been out there assisting since we received the call on yesterday. There have been some concerns from the rail company seeing in real company out there about the water saturating their tracks. They did send a recent communication to us requesting that we expedite this repair as quickly as possible which we are always doing. We were able to get about five hours isolated yesterday, but that wasn't enough to effectuate a shut off. We closed some more bowels this morning. We have got a firm isolation that will allow us to proceed with the repair. Right now we have no notifications of anyone being out of water. So we feel that we should be able to complete this fairly timely. We are dealing with a vintage pipe something that we haven't seen before. It looks like it's a 1943 concrete pipe. So we definitely will be changing the material. And so we do not have an estimation on how much time it's going to take for us to effectuate this repair. But we did want to give you notice, especially considering the correspondence that we were receiving from the rail company.
Right Miss Porter, thank you for that heads up. No problem. Go right ahead with the first item on the agenda.
So spring walls flocculation which is a part of the treatment train that allows us to ensure water of unquestionable quality. In our state relationship. We do have sanitation surveys every three to five years. The documentation is updated. They make recommendations in these documentation on the type of capital investments they'd like us to make. This was one of the recommendations from that sanitation survey. We were able to receive six bids. We took the lowest responsive bid this will allow us to upgrade the flocculation system which is basically the mixing of the chemicals in the water in order to improve the settling of solid material and that source water coming in to us to make sure that we are complying with and exceeding water treatment standards. We're also going to take this opportunity to add in some instrumentation which will allow us to continue our volunteer efforts with eagles optimization program which is a little bit more stringent than the Safe Water Partnership Program. They have a few more elements that they've added. So we have been making adjustments at the facilities to participate in that. Again, that's our internal efforts to always keep striving to do more and more to ensure water of unquestionable quality. And with that, I'll take any questions.
All right, John, do you have any questions on this side?
I do notice it sounds like a good project. I'd be glad to make the motion to approve the contract.
Miss Porter? Yes, this contractor. They were familiar with them.
I will have to look to my procurement partners. I'm not familiar with this particular name. If they're using your I Am
Yes, we are familiar with them. They do have one contract with us at the current moment it is a job order contracting so they are participating in that and however they are new, newer, okay to GL WA. They are a Chicago based firm and they have a presence in the city of Detroit.
Okay, so they're new from Chicago with one other project. Yeah, and we're giving them another bite at the apple. Yes, sir. All righty. I'll second. I'll second that. Motion, John. And there being no further questions. All in favor, aye. That motion is passed. Next item on the agenda is Item B. This is the proposed change. Order Number two, contract number 2201870 Schoolcraft road concrete pavement restoration and that too is Miss for
John Porter Chief Operating Officer water and Field Services. This particular change orders a time extension only. We are requesting this due to concrete shortages. This was a contract that we were laying some pipe the pipe has been installed. We pulled this out and made a separate contract in order to expedite the restoration and to meet some of the more stringent requirements in the neighborhoods that we were going through. We have been able to meet that we just need a little bit more time and that we were not able to receive all the concrete on all the concrete we needed in order to finish the restoration. So we're asking for a little bit more time in order to finish the project and close it out. With that I'll take any questions. Yes.
Is this the the school crap project in Livonia that we've had several delays we had some concerns raised by the community. It's right off of the I would I guess it's Jeffries. Is this that project?
Yes, it is. We have completed our watermain projects and we pulled this out in order to get through these communities. Faster. And to have someone that just focuses on concrete restorations. That was our intent and pulling it out from the water main installation piece. And so this went through Redford Lavonia and I believe a few other communities and we're finalizing this particular phase that the contract.
So, so well, so will this once this piece is done. We'll be finished with that project in its entirety.
I believe there are some connections that were needed and then that we would be final then the contract will be final. So I think all the pipe has been laid, but there's still a smaller, shorter piece to connect it to the system. And I believe that that's the next phase that we'll be going into. I'm not sure that that is fully complete. Is anyone on my engineering team on the line? Yeah, yes.
Tim Coons, your director engineering. There's this there's a short segment under the freeway, a tunnel section that is that's not been completed as part of this contract and would have to be completed in the future.
Gotcha. Okay. Other questions on the site and John?
Thank you very much, Tim. Mr. Coons will the Will this be done this construction season? This piece under the freeway or will that bleed over into 2024? Right now we don't have
a active construction contractors get that completed. That's probably further in the out years that we finalized the connections pipeline.
Okay. And we can live with that, that it's well that we're pushing it deeper into the 2024 or maybe even beyond or
Yeah, I mean, we have an existing transmission main that serves as provides suction pressure to our school craft pump station. And so in terms of providing service, it we can maintain service. It's just it's not ideal, but we can we can maintain service adequately in that way.
It's just been explained to the communities that have been patient with us will say
I have been boots on the ground with this project. I don't know if it Pete, are you on the line, if you can give any any indication of what we've communicated to Lavonia?
Well, let me let me jump in frog and Gemini. I think the bigger issue which was causing some of the concern or upheaval in the Lavonia in Redford communities, was the disruption that the project was having to businesses and to travel routes and and in the steady flow of traffic through that area. Isn't that right bill and that that issue has been resolved that we don't have the heavy equipment, the disruption, the detours, the block traffic and the business disruption that we had over the last three or four years? Right.
That's exactly right. That's what this contract is for and Mr. Fromm can address it, but it's my recollection, which I believe is correct that the work under the freeway was planned for a future time from the onset. So it's not a change in the overall power project client. Right.
So that was really the that was the deal, John. Okay. We had the political folks in these communities, rightfully, were getting, you know, their bills wrong by their their constituents and Ratepayers and residents. But that's all that's all been dealt with and resolved. And so I think everything's kind of quiet and peaceful now that things are looking normal as it were.
They're good.
Glad to hear this.
So is there a motion on this one?
Yes. So move that we approve this time extension.
This is Item B. I support that All in favor, aye. That motion passes. Next item on the agenda item C. This is a proposed amendment number five contracts ces 0908 Scatter system. Miss Porter.
So again, with this amendment number five is also again a time extension only. The reason why we're asking for the additional time is that it's a task order contract that allows us to support our SCADA system, which is the operating system that allows the systems control center to communicate with our assets in the field. And it's imperative that we keep this kind of support in the background that allows us to address any issues that may surface as we are operating 24/7 The reason for this particular time extension is to cover the tasks that have been completed and we are operating under a new contract which is in place. But in order for us to maintain the warranties on those tasks that have been completed. It's necessary for us to have to continue the time extension and so once that once this expires, we will be able to close this contract out and solely use the current contract that is in place right now. And with that, I'll answer any additional questions.
Questions on this side?
I'm just not for me, not for me frame. I'm good.
So so sure. This This project started in 2017. original contract time was 24 months. You had a couple of time extensions in there, but you also had some some increases in the budget. Can you explain what it is about this project? That's required five.
It's kind of
in why it's been around as long as it's been since 2017.
Right. It's kind of like our emergency response contracts. It's one of those things that we keep around to support us. It to make sure that we have the functionality that we need, so that the team can do their job each and every day. So the time and money that you've seen for amendments, one, two and four. Those would be the I'm sure the first two amendments were renewals. And then we probably asked for amendment fourth, which was another renewal while we were working to get the new contract up and running. The amendments three and five. Those were to finish out task associated with this contract, because again, once a task order is issued, we want to complete that with who it has been assigned to and not stop midstream in any work that that has been achieved. So we as I stated before, we do have the new contract that was built out that is up and running now. And we're just finalizing the final test under this contract, and it will be closing.
So PCI is the vendor for this project. Is that what I'm reading right? It says PCI L C. Yes. If Am I my understanding that since the inception of this contract in 2017 for 5.6 million PCI has been the sole vendor for everything that has occurred under this contract. That is correct. Okay. And so at what point does this contract get rebid since you indicated amendments, one, two and four additional dollars that have been added to extend the contract from 2017. Now through 2024.
This format of contract has been rebid and the new contract number is 2102983. I only have the number I don't have the details on that contract. So we have rebid this contract out.
Okay. When was that? I mean, that's been what? Since 2017, it's been rebid.
Dan, do you happen to know when the new contract to 102 93? Yeah, it's
past year, so it's relatively recent, that it was rebid? Correct. And the contractor on that one is PCI again.
Okay. John, no other questions on this one, a motion to approve is in order
to so move that we approve this extension.
All right, that's, this is item C. I support that All in favor, aye. That motion passes. Next item is item item D. This is a amendment number two, the rehab of ferric chloride feed system. Naveed Moran.
Thank you Mr. Chairman, Avi Moran, chief operating officer for wastewater operation before us a request at the last r&r meeting be approved the contractors extension in time. This was review recall around the railroad delays and the construction work that needed to be done in the permit application. This is the designer for that project. And this is a time only extension and truly is to maintain continuity of construction oversight and design engineer oversight for the project as it goes through construction. The request before us is just for a time extension only just to align the construction project that's going on. And at this point, I'll take any questions.
Of course we've got an aside. I'm John.
My only question for Naveen is is the progress going well now is it picking up the pace is that we're still are we kind of like wishing we could go faster.
With this. So I think we always wish to go faster. But the big thing is the contractor is back on track. They've had some weather days if you can imagine with the with the snow and the rain and the different weather conditions, but I don't believe that any of that has really resulted in to delay and the contractor is back on track to be able to get the work completed. Thank you
have any questions either John. A motion to approve is in order.
So move that we approve this contract.
I support it all in favor? Aye. That motion passes. Next item is Item e. Item e is contract number 2202790. And this is water resource recovery NaVi
Thank you Mr. Chairman before you is a request to award CDM Smith for the design and construction administration of the sludge pumping command system for the WR AF So, sludge is a byproduct of wastewater treatment. This product is converted treated and converted into either our ultimate disposal product which could be the BDF as a fertilizer incineration, which could be an ash or the watered and lime stabilized for land application. So those are three methods of disposal but the central hub of this is our our solids, sludge feed pumps, this collects all the sludge from the different process areas and distributes it depending on what method of disposal we intend to use. So it's a very essential component of our process. And to some extent, you could say that it is the bottleneck if you may have the process before it can be distributed. And so it is very essential for it to be reliable. And otherwise if they do have issues within this specific process, it can very quickly turn bad at the plant and potential violations with phosphorus issues and so on. So, moving solids is what we consider as one of the most important things in plant operations. And before you is a request to award this design, what this engineering will do, it will really bring reliability back to this facility. Because it has been some time since we have made improvements to this space. There is definitely size changes that needs to be taken in consideration to optimize the efficiency when you try to run outside of the pump design. You do wear and tear on the equipment a lot faster than you typically do if it was designed correctly, so we're aligning really our demand to the design of the facility. And then finally getting more flexibility. Having some more redundancy within the pumps allows us to have more flexibility for operation and have more redundancy in alignment with the 10 state standards, which is a design standard for for Michigan and wastewater treatment facilities. And at this point, I can take any questions.
Questions on this item. Maybe I'm good
nothing for me.
So maybe the end product that comes out of this. This biosystem is you says great a fertilizing.
So from our dryer facility. This feeds the dryer facility and our dryer facility basically dries the sludge product and through this drying mechanism. You're stabilizing it and you're disinfecting it to some extent and it turns into a fertilizer product.
And what do we do with that fertilizer?
We land apply this product is land applied for farm fields.
I mean, do we sell it the people coming
so VDF we have a contract with Nesco which is a New England fertilizer company that does our distribution system, right? We're in the wastewater business, they're in an application business so they're pros in this and and what they do is they most of the time they are disposing it at minimum costs. We don't necessarily have that selling product yet. But they are disposing at minimum landfill costs only having tipping fees, which is significantly different than having to pay for disposal of the product. Sure
I got you. All right. Motion to approve is in order.
So moved that we approve the contract.
I support it. favor, aye aye. That motion passes. These next three items as you can see, thanks Nebby. Our resolutions, Bill's going to take us through these. But after approval, we'll send them on to the board for board ultimate approval. So Bill, why don't you run us through these last three items.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The first item is resolution number 2023 104 which is the resolution Oh, excuse me. William Wilson, Chief Administrative and compliance officer has a resolution in support of the Great Lakes water authorities request for an appropriation to assist in the utilities wastewater systems improvement project. And Mr. Chairman, this may be this project may be familiar to this committee. In its meeting in February I did approve amendment number one to contract number 1803709 That was related to this project. But in essence this project looks at are almost nine 944 miles square square mile Wastewater Conveyance system and how can we how can we improve the operational efficiency of this system? And in particular, this this this request for the grant is focused on the 16 inch system storage device devices, inflatable dams, if you will, and the 20 valve remotes that we use to manage flow throughout the system and rain events. And also it allows us to utilize the capacity of the system for insistent storage, which is a clean water issue because it minimizes the possibility and those events are combined sewer system overflows. And so with that, Mr. Chairman, the total cost of the project is 58 approximately $58 million and I look for a motion to recommend this to the full board and be happy to answer any questions. You may have
questions on this item.
I have no questions but I'm glad to make the motion to recommend this to the full board.
I support all in favor. Hi. Motion passes. Next item bill item G
All right. Thank you. Item G is resolution number 2023 105. That is a resolution in support of the Great Lakes Water Authority request for an appropriation to assist the utilities Oakwood district inner community relief sewer modification project. Mr. Sherman This is a project as the Board may recall that we had initially applied for funding from the state of Michigan under this strategic revolving fund. But given the limitations on our budget that we are currently experiencing, we did not have an opportunity to move forward with it in the current fiscal year. And so what what, what this appropriation would do and this is why on appropriation we're looking for a congressionally directed appropriation on the federal level and appropriation from this date. And so we're trying to leave no stone unturned for this project. And a couple of reasons one is simply inflationary, the project is currently at $83.5 million estimate. A year ago when we started looking at the project the cost was 54 of roughly 54 to 55 million so you can see the fact that inflation has had but that that, obviously is an important factor in our ability to complete the project. But more importantly is what what the benefit of this project would have for the system and that is multi multifaceted. First the project would reduce levels in the in the Northwest interceptor sewer and that would hopefully provide some flood mitigation particularly for the city of Dearborn and extreme rain events. Southwest Detroit that's the first benefit that it would have second is reducing and diverting that flow would also provide some capacity for future sewer, separations and other projects. Should those communities along along in the Oakwood district wish to do that. And third, and perhaps most importantly, we've seen things obviously as a utility that no one expected as everyone recalls. A few years ago, we were faced with a situation with DTE where they required that the gas that the Fed our operations at the Water Resources recovery facility, b be terminated and they gave us approximately two to four hours notice of that if an event like that would occur. This will provide some redundancy for partially treating the sanitary and storm flow. It will be coming through the Northwest interceptor if it were not available to be transmitted to the plant. So that is a Clean Water Initiative as well. And it's a project that we think is very important to the region eagle is fully on board except the funding was not grant funding was not available at this time. So this is the purpose of this request is to see if we can't get this project started. Because we think it burned provides a fair amount of capacity for this for the regional system. As well as enhances our goal, our environmental goal of clean water and so what's that?
Bill did you say you'd be will be seeking a federal and state appropriation to fund this.
Yeah, this is the one project normally we look for different projects that we asked for at the federal level than the state level. This is the one project that we are asking both our our federal representatives and our state representatives to look and see if they can't find some dollars to allow us to get started on this project a little bit quicker.
So with this be covered under the Federal earmarks that are being deliberated in Washington.
That's right. This This resolution would be in support of a congressionally directed appropriation for this project. It also, frankly tees it up that if our representatives should find another program, that they believe that we could get a general appropriation of federal dollars, which is not as likely it would allow us to do that at the state level. Obviously, we're looking for an appropriation most likely of the ARPA dollars that remain in the state to fund this project.
All right. You have any questions on this one, John?
No, I do not I think I'm glad and I realized that Suzanne and and Bill and Randall will be going to Washington at the end of the month. And I suspect that this is probably one of the top things are going to be talking to the Michigan delegation about so I'm glad to make this motion to send this forward to the full board.
I support it all in favor. Aye. Aye Motion passes. Next item is Item H bill you got it. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. And item eight is a resolution in support of the Great Lakes Water Authority request for an appropriation to assist in the utilities linear system integrity program. So that's the L SAP as we as we have talked about it as a board and this is obviously a fairly critical program. We've, we've seen a few instances, just to remind you of what this program does, it takes emerging technology. And it really, while it's focused, generally on both the water and the Wastewater Conveyance system at the moment, we're really focusing on water, and that innovative technology allows us to use acoustical sounding and other tools that are sanitary to let us know that when the pipe is deteriorating as you know, the primary source of of mains in our system set for the one that we talked about earlier today. There was concrete is the pre constructed the pre stressed concrete PCCP pipe that was manufactured and that that allows us to hear degradation because they're wrapped with wires and as the wires start to break and become brittle from use. We're able to detect it it's it is first used in this utility after our 14 mile main break that occurred back in 2017. And then subsequently in 19. I'll come back to that. And also we were able to combine that use of that technology as well as people walking the main after our 120 inch main to two assessments. So what we're really focusing on in the next year, is that 120 inch main looking at it working West from St. Clair into Lapeer County and then the 96 inch main in Macomb County that connects and those are, those are pipes that we have limited redundancy for that's why we're focusing in those areas. Just to underscore the importance of of this program, which is a a proximately a 10 point was $10,675,000 annual program. And it covers both the assessment and replacement of material as actually be necessary. But just to underscore the importance we recently had a situation with a 14 mile mane and as you recall, when we went through and did our assessment following 2019 We found that there was a portion of the pipe that we thought it was important to go in and and and and renew because because of the conditions. Well, we we worked through that issue earlier this month and we had a conversation we advised you your honorable body of that and it was a lot of tough challenges decisions for this utility because as we were going in getting ready to take the water out of that section of May we also had to be mindful of DTE grant gas transmission facilities that that remained nearby. And you know, could we do that? So remember that our our peak system our peak season for our system is kind of in the summer where DTS peak system for their gas system is in winter and DTE as you may recall, contributed $600,000 to the project. When we got in we found proximately a three and a half foot cracked crack in the Maine. And as, as they, as our consultants said it was in incipit incipit danger of failure, which means that if we hadn't gotten there at any time in the coming week, month, or whatever that could have failed putting, as you recall over a million people under a boil water alert or worse. And that really, Mr. Chairman is the value of this program and why we are seeking the appropriation to allow us to continue and maximize our efforts under this program. It is so important on keeping our our aging assets in place. I should indicate that we have been able to line that pipe and we are now working on restoring it to service and the estimate is with that lining that has taken place which is new, relatively new for for drinking water pipes. We have probably another 50 years on that section of pipe. So with that, Mr. Chairman unless there are any questions, a motion to refer this to the full board for approval would be requested.
So Bill, our commitment to this project is $10.6 million. Right. And where's the balance anticipated to be coming from that state owes at federal about?
Well right now that that that $10.6 million dollars is going to count from our budget and the fees that we charge to our member? partner communities? That's correct. So if we if we get the grant, it allows us to do two things one is to consider you know, it gives us a possibility for budgetary savings. It also may well give us a opportunity for other other other needs. Because the thing that's really unique about this is we don't know what we're going to find. So it is what we have budgeted as a guesstimate but it certainly gives us a little bit more budgetary cushion. And as you know, as an organization, we are very conservative on how we budget for these types of risks. Yeah,
yeah. Okay. John, questions on this item?
No, no questions. I'm glad we're pursuing this the 14 mile pipe situation. We got to stay on top of it and try and try and find these things before they break.
So I support the motion job to forward this on to the full board for for their approval. Their review and approval. All in favor. Hi.
Real One, one final item. Mr. Chairman, as the board is aware, we are going to be visiting our congressional representatives at the end of the month. I want to we did send out a general request to the board members to accompany us I want to thank Member Brown and Sherman Hendricks are both having volunteered and Chairman Hendricks as the board chair. We have selected you but Mr. Brown. Please be assured that we are very grateful for your offer and we'll be taking it up at a future date and time no good deed going on punished. So Well, Gary,
Gary, we don't need the big guns for this trip. Okay, so we're bringing you out when we wrapped a literally have to have the big guns. So you're good. Yeah. Thank you for that bill. So we don't have any reports do we?
Do there are no reports for this committee, Mr. Chairman?
All right, looking ahead the next onr committee meeting and says it's scheduled for April 12. At 11 o'clock, that too will be a Zoom meeting. Is that correct?
That's right, Mr. Chairman, as you know this is an advisory committee and is not subject to the Open Meetings Act.
Right. And then our board meeting that month would be two weeks later. Is that right bill? That's currently
what we have on the books. It's correct. It's on April 24. All
right. Sounds good. Any information anyone? Any other matters?
There are no other matters for this committee message.
All right, then. Any German would be in order. If that's all right with you, Mr. Zip.
Sure is. So.
All right. We are adjourned. Thank you, everybody. Appreciate it. Stay safe. Stay warm. You as well. Hi everyone. Good. recording stopped