Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition AssessmentCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 18.
Copyrighted
October 4, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment
Project 2021: Award of Professional Engineering Contract
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to enter into final contact
negotiations for professional engineering services with Strand
Associates for the Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and
Condition Assessment Project 2021 for a not to exceed amount of
$187,093.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Condition City Manager Memo
Assessment-MVM Memo
Eagle Point Water Plant Condition Assessment Staff Memo
Engineering Award Memo
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
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All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment
Project 2021
Award of Professional Engineering Contract
DATE: September 30, 2021
Two responses were received to a request for engineering proposals for the Eagle Point
Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment Project and both firms were
invited for an interview. Both the original submitted proposal and the consultant
interview were used to select the recommended firm for the project. Upon review of the
information provided from each firm, including an evaluation of the costs associated with
the full scope of services, the selection committee recommends the City enter into
negotiations with Strand Associates for this project.
Funding for the project will be from the city budget for Water Plant Assessment Plan
($115,000) and as necessary, remaining project funds available from the Kennedy Road
Water Main Extension Project (Water Line Extensions to New Developments), which
would require reallocation of the funds to support the water treatment plant condition
and process assessment project.
Water Department Manager Chris Lester recommends City Council approval to enter
into final contact negotiations for professional engineering services with Strand
Associates for the Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition
Assessment Project 2021 for a not to exceed amount of $187,093.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Christopher Lester, Water Department Manager
THE CITY OF
DUB El
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Lester, Water Department Manager
Dubuque
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2007-2012.2013
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DATE: September 29, 2021
RE: Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment
Project 2021
Award of Professional Engineering Contract
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request authorization to enter into final contract
negotiations for professional engineering services with Strand Associates of Madison,
Wisconsin for the Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment
Project 2021.
BACKGROUND
Over several decades, the City of Dubuque has experienced an increase in development, in
both the residential and commercial sectors. Such successful growth is resulting in challenges
that reach beyond the treatment, distribution, and storage system original footprints; notably,
the recent expansion of infrastructure to provide service to the subdivisions of Twin Ridge to
the south and Vernon and Barrington Lakes water systems to the west along with proposed
water main extensions to bring high quality drinking water to other areas of the community.
Having reliable and dependable water supply and infrastructure is critical to supporting all the
City's customers today and tomorrow.
As the City looks to the future outlined in the City's Comprehensive Plan and with the
completion of the SW Arterial, it is increasingly important that the existing water supply and
infrastructure is hydraulically analyzed to determine its capacity and capability to serve. As
part of the City's commitment to be ready for not only today's demands the city also supports
the development of a water supply, distribution, and storage master plan.
The master plan will serve to provide the City direction in the development of alternative and
additional water supply sources and treatment facilities, improve customer service through the
evaluation of the pressure zones serving Dubuque, evaluate the existing aging water
treatment plant and its processes, and determine a strategy for systematically
replacing/rehabilitating aging infrastructure.
The first phase of the master planning process starts with a comprehensive physical condition
assessment of its water supply, treatment process, pumping capacity, and sludge treatment
facilities.
DISCUSSION
On September 7, 2021, the City initiated a request for engineering proposals for the Eagle
Point Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment Project.
The project is the result of many staff and management discussions regarding how to
optimize the water treatment plant operation to reach a sustainable maximum output to meet
the current and future water demand. The last significant treatment plant improvement
occurred in 1979 with the addition of the north plant and the lime solids handling facility.
Unfortunately, due to issues arising during construction of the north plant the facility was not
able to achieve a discharge output of 20 million gallons per day as designed. While the facility
may or may not be able to achieve the 1979 design capacity, the ability to review and analyze
the condition and process of the existing facility allows the City an opportunity to take every
possible advantage of innovative methods, and a refreshed engineered design perspective to
see what the maximum sustained capacity of the facility could be.
The project also provides for the opportunity to evaluate protection and maintenance of the
City's source water supply; and determine other possible water supply sources along with a
second or complementary water treatment plant. A second treatment plant would offset
inefficiencies and operational challenges with the current Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant's
location, and potentially improve water distribution and pumping operations.
The request for proposal includes a requirement for the engineering firm to evaluate the
following major structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control systems, and
processes:
The major treatment plant processes:
• Aeration
• Softening basins
• Lime feed systems
• Carbon dioxide feed systems
• Chemical feed systems (fluoride, polymer, sodium hypochlorite, and ortho-
phosphate)
• Final Filtration
• Metering
• SCADA System
• Lime Sludge thickening, dewatering and hauling
• Clearwells
Major Equipment
• Boilers
• HVAC
• Safety monitoring — chemical feed room
• Roof systems
• Pipe network
• Pumps
• Motors
• Valving
• Physical property — Pump and Filter Buildings, Softening Basin and Aeration
Buildings, and Sludge Treatment plant
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The successful engineering firm will evaluate each major process for deficiencies and identify,
immediate (6-12months), mid -length (12-60months), and long term (beyond 5years) process
improvements. They will identify any and all improvements that may be necessary to make
changes to current chemical feed systems and major chemical, biological treatment
processes. The firm is to recommend any and all changes to increase treatment plant
production and necessary side -stream piping re -work for chemical compliance; and finally
shall develop a list and planning level costs for said improvements required to optimize the
water treatment process and the discharge rate.
Engineering Firm Review and Short List Process
The City received two engineering proposals on September 17, 2021. Each proposal was
reviewed and scored by an approved committee. Proposals were submitted by: the team of
HDR/Origin Design of Des Moines Iowa and Dubuque, Iowa and Strand Associates of
Madison, Wisconsin. The selection committee comprised of staff from the Water, Engineering,
W&RRC, and an independent consultant with experience in the water industry. The
committee reviewed each proposal to ensure that the minimum requirements of the proposal
format were met. They were tasked with reviewing each proposal using a scoring system to
place qualifying proposals on a consultant short-list for interview.
The following criteria was used to initially evaluate the submitted proposals:
1. The firm must have a high level of professional competence and a proven track record in
the preparation of similar projects:
a. Qualifications and experience of the Consultant and any subconsultants.
b. Demonstration of the project team's professional expertise and technical abilities.
c. If a joint venture with subconsultants, the track records of the Firms experience
working together.
d. Experience of the Consultant working on municipal projects.
e. Experience of the Consultant working on municipal projects in Iowa.
2. Review of the quality and completeness of the written proposal. The proposal should
clearly demonstrate understanding of the City's overall objectives for the project.
3. Review of the design approach/methodology in completing scope of services such as:
a. Grasp of project requirements and level of interest in the project.
b. Creativity and problem -solving ability.
c. Ability of Consultant team to demonstrate initiative, motivation and knowledge as
an indication of their desire to work with the City of Dubuque.
4. Confirm inclusion of a proposed schedule required to complete the project.
The selection committee recommended both teams be selected for interview. The
interviews were held on September 24, 2021. The interview format provided for a short
presentation from the consultant, if they so desired, and maximum 90-minute Q&A from the
City's selection committee.
Both, the original submitted proposal and the consultant interviews were used to select the
recommended firm for the project.
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Engineering Firm Selection and Recommendation
In addition to the written proposal and interview, the firms short listed for interview were also
evaluated on their ability to bring innovative ideas and specific understanding and
knowledge of Grade IV Lime Softened water treatment facilities that have come about not
through a single construction contract, but through several iterative design and capital
improvements over the span of 100 years. The selection committee evaluated the
innovation and initiative each firm would bring to optimizing the current facility, i.e. their
ability and knowledge to analyze a water treatment that has evolved through 100 years of
improvements, recognizing the physical space limitation of the facility while seeing solutions
that will lead to a sustainable maximum capacity.
During the interviews, the firms were able to present or highlight why their firm should be
selected and clearly demonstrated a keen interest in working with the City of Dubuque.
The team of HDR/Origin Design appeared to grasp the project generally in its scope and
requirements and was familiar with the type of processes in use at the treatment plant. They
were able to recognize some of the hydraulic bottlenecks at the plant and recommended a
hydraulic model be used as part of their procedure to optimize the plant. They also we able
to identify some specific parts of the process such as the filters and recommended stress
testing of the media to determine at what point there would be break -through or short-
circuiting of the media to optimize backwash times. They were familiar with the permit
required optimized corrosion control methods as they pertain to minimizing leaching of lead
from private service lines into the drinking water. HDR has recently completed similar work
in Ames, Iowa.
Strand Associates also demonstrated a firm understanding of the project and were able to
speak in detail about each major piece of equipment and process. They were able to talk to
specific valves not in operation and how they could be re -piped or used to combine flows
from the north and south plants. They also went into detail on sludge handling, filter
backwash times, possible methods of disinfection versus sodium hypochlorite, which is
currently in use, and how the plant could be optimized to convert to surface water treatment
in the event the wells were to come under the influence of surface water from the
Mississippi River. Strand's engineers demonstrated a strong understanding of chemistry
and SCADA controls and instrumentation systems and integrated these fields into the
discussion on the overall operations, possible automation, and how they will play a role in
optimizing the current facility. They were also familiar with optimized corrosion control and
how the addition of a second water treatment facility could be done without disrupting
corrosion control. The team provided an in-depth presentation which clearly answered the
question pertaining to innovative design and immediate recommendations they were able
surmise from their plant tours including how the City can address upcoming regulatory
testing and treatment requirements pertaining to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS
man-made chemicals) along with discussion on UV disinfection and reverse osmosis
systems. The team is currently performing similar work in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Strand
Associates has been successful in working with the City of Dubuque on projects that require
significant regulatory improvements, as demonstrated at the Water & Resource Recovery
Center.
Both firms provided a schedule to be executed over 6-months, with key activities being
completed to meet the final budget submittal deadlines for FY2023.
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The responses from each firm enabled the committee to focus on reviewing each firm side
by side. The committee is recommending the team from Strand Associates be selected for
this project due to their comprehensive and detailed understanding of the project, ability to
work and complete initial review under time of the essence conditions, clear and
demonstrated ability to complete the necessary SCADA upgrades as part of plant
optimization, and a strong understanding of water treatment plant chemistry.
The following is a cost summary of each firm following clarification of the cost proposals.
Each of the proposals presented below reflect the modified original scope:
HDR/Origin Design
Proposed Project Cost $149,509.00
Estimate of Project Hours 832 hrs.
Ave Cost/Hr. $179.41/hr.
Strand Associates
$187,093.00
934 hrs.
$200.31/hr.
RECOMMENDATION
The selection committee upon review of the information provided from each firm including
an evaluation of the costs associated with the full scope of services recommends the City
enter negotiations with Strand Associates.
BUDGETIMPACT
Funding for the project will be from 740-2387 Water Plant Assessment Plan and as
necessary, remaining project funds available from 740-2836 Kennedy Road Water Main
Extension Project (Water Line Extensions to New Developments), which would require
reallocation of the funds to support the water treatment plant condition and process
assessment project.
Description
Est. Available Funds
CIP 740-2387 Water Plant Assessment Plan
$115,000
CIP 740-2836 Kennedy Road Water Main Extension
Project (Water Line Extensions to New
Developments),
$166,838
Total Est. Funds Available
$281,838
REQUESTED ACTION
I respectfully request permission to enter into final contract negotiations for professional
engineering services with Strand Associates of Madison, Wisconsin for the Eagle Point
Water Treatment Plant Process and Condition Assessment Project 2021 not to exceed
$187,093.00.
cc: Jennifer Larson, Director of Finance & Budget
Kerry Leppert, Water Engineering Assistant
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