TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Tom Kisela, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Cash, Public Works Director
1. Subject
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Approval of plans and specifications for Well 29 Drilling Project, authorization to advertise for bids, and finding of California Environmental Quality Act exemption.
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2. Summary
Plans and specifications have been completed for Well 29 Drilling Project. The project is ready to be advertised for bids. The engineering cost estimate including 10% contingencies is $2,750,000.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Approve the plans and specifications and authorize advertising for Bid No. 24-25.13, Well 29 Drilling Project.
2. Find the project Categorically Exempt (Classes 1, 2, and 3) from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301, 15302 and 15303.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The expense for this project is $2,750,000 and will be funded through Water Fund (600):
600.8011.56411.20312 Well 29 Construction
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 5: Improve Infrastructure, Mobility, and Technology
Objective 5.1: Update Facility Condition Assessment
6. Discussion and Background
The City Council previously approved advertisement for the Well 29 Drilling project on July 13, 2021, and received and opened bids on November 18, 2021. One bid was received and was considerably higher than the cost estimate. The bid was rejected, and the project is being re-advertised with a revised scope of work. The original scope of work included destruction of existing Well 8 and construction of off-site improvements including installation of new 24-inch storm drain and pavement restoration which have since been completed.
Well 29 will be located at the corner of Struck Avenue and Katella Avenue on the same site as the previous Well 8. Well 8 was removed from service in 2018 due to the Per and Polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) levels exceeding the regulatory limits and was destroyed in the Fall of 2023. Well 29 and an Ion Exchange (IX) treatment system will be constructed at this location and is expected to produce approximately 3,000 gallons per minute (gpm) in flow capacity.
The proposed Well 29 project will be constructed in two phases. Phase I will include drilling the well, and Phase II will consist of equipping the well and installing the treatment system. Well drilling phase is expected to begin in the Spring of 2025 and to be completed within 130 calendar days. Well equipping will begin in the Spring of 2026.
The Scope of Work for Phase I includes pilot hole drilling, installation of approximately 1,300 feet of 20-inch stainless steel casing and screen, installation of accessory tubing, gravel pack, sanitary seal, hydrogeology testing, well development, and disinfection. The drilling operations for the project will last approximately 30 days and require some 24-hour operational working periods. To mitigate potential noise possibly caused by the drilling operation, the contractor will install 24-foot-high sound attenuation walls around the project site for the duration of the project. Prior to the project starting, staff will conduct outreach to the neighborhood that could be affected by the construction. The cost estimate for Phase I of the project is $2,750,000.
Upon the completion of the well drilling phase, a separate staff report will be prepared to advertise Phase II of the project, consisting of the construction of all above ground piping, buildings, and pumping equipment, as well as the construction of the IX treatment system. The design and construction cost of the IX treatment system will be reimbursed by Orange County Water District (OCWD) via its PFAS Treatment Systems Program.
7. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On February 11, 2020, Orange City Council determined the proposed project is categorically exempt (Classes 1, 2, and 3) from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA guidelines Section 15301, 15302 and 15303. CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 categorically exempts projects that involve the addition of safety or health protection devices in conjunction with existing facilities and involve negligible or no expansion of use. Section 15302 categorically exempts projects that consist of replacement or reconstruction of existing facilities where the facilities will be located on the same site as the facilities replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the facilities replaced. Section 15303 categorically exempts projects that consist of the installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures.
8. ATTACHMENTS
• Location Map