Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing an Agreement with Gray & Osborne Inc. for the Transmission Main Seismic Valves and Condition Assessment Project
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement with Gray & Osborne Inc. for $599,994 for design engineering and construction management services for the Transmission Main Seismic Valves and Condition Assessment Project.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement with Gray & Osborne Inc. for $599,994 for design engineering and construction management services for the Transmission Main Seismic Valves and Condition Assessment Project.
Staff Contact:
Randy Wesselman, Project Manager, Public Works Engineering, 360.753.8477.
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia owns and operates a 36-inch diameter water transmission main that conveys water from it its primary source, the McAllister Wellfield, approximately
8.3 miles to the Fir Street Reservoirs. Given the critical nature of this infrastructure, the City wants to 1) improve the seismic resilience of the transmission main by installing seismic isolation and control valves (up to 12 locations are possible) and 2) analyze the condition of the transmission main by conducting a condition assessment.
To complete this work, consultant assistance to provide design engineering and construction management services is required.
Gray and Osborne Inc. was selected through a competitive request for qualifications process to provide the required design engineering and construction management services. The total cost for their design services is $599,994.
Transmission Main Seismic Valve Design and Installation
The City Council took action in November 2020 to authorize staff to submit an application for the State of Washington Hazard Mitigation Grant (FEMA Grant) program to complete the design and construction for installation of seismic isolation and control valves at 12 locations along the McAllister transmission main. The City Council also authorized the City Manager, if the City was awarded the Grant, to execute the State of Washington Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Agreement and is authorized and directed to execute any other documents necessary to execute the Agreement.
In June 2024, FEMA awarded the City of Olympia Hazard Mitigation funds in the amount of $1,329,810 for project design and construction.
Under this FEMA funded work, up to eight manually operated valves and four valves actuated by a signal from the ShakeAlert seismic warning system with local seismic sensing backup will be installed along the approximately 8.3-mile McAllister transmission main. These valves will allow water to be isolated in smaller segments of the transmission main, reducing risks caused by damage to the main and facilitating timely repairs.
Transmission Main Condition Assessment
The Condition Assessment work will assess the condition of the transmission main and
develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for emergency repair, watermain shutdowns, and valve installations. The Condition Assessment will also provide estimates of remaining useful life of the transmission main and recommendations for preventive/corrective maintenance. This work will be coordinated and conducted while the pipe is exposed for installation of the seismic valves. The Condition Assessment work is not covered by the FEMA grant.
Climate Analysis:
Installing seismic valves on the McAllister transmission main is a hazard mitigation initiative as contained in the City of Olympia’s Annex to the Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Thurston Region. Hazards mitigation planning provides a framework for communities to alleviate the impacts of natural hazards. While the probability of earthquakes increasing in frequency or severity due to the impacts of climate change is not expected, installing seismic valves will minimize damage to life, property, the economy, and the environment in the event of damage from an earthquake. By implementing a hazard mitigation initiative, the region’s ability to coordinate hazard mitigation planning, assess risks, respond to natural hazards including those that are expected to become more frequent or severe due to climate change, and protect community assets is improved.
Understanding the condition of the McAllister transmission main, as also included in this project, and putting standard operating procedures in place to address emergencies repairs, water shutdowns and valve installations, will provide the information necessary to ensure this critical infrastructure continues to provide reliable drinking water and fire flow to the City of Olympia’s water customers.
Equity Analysis:
The City of Olympia’s drinking water system supplies potable and firefighting water to a population of approximately 113,585 customers. Approximately 80% of the City’s water supply comes from the McAllister Wellfield. The McAllister transmission main is vulnerable to an earthquake. If damaged by an earthquake, failure of the pipeline would result in uncontrolled release of water and would likely result in a significant loss of water service to businesses and residents, and localized flooding. Loss of supply at McAllister Wellfield through a transmission main failure would have a significant impact on system reliability. Localized flooding and loss of water service would lead to limited, or worse, unavailability of water for firefighting; contamination or pollution of the water supply; disruption of access to roadways and emergency services; and economic losses
to local businesses. All City of Olympia customers will benefit from the work to be conducted under this critical project.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The goal of the proposed project is to mitigate the loss of an essential service (potable and firefighting water) to residents and businesses that would result from a moderate or severe earthquake causing a failure of the City's transmission main. With the proposed installation of seismic valves at strategic locations, the adverse impacts of an uncontrolled release of water will be minimized.
Financial Impact:
FEMA Hazard Mitigation - Federal Grant (90%): $ 385,173
Washington State Emergency Management - State Grant (5%) $ 21,399
Drinking Water Utility Matching Funds - City (5%): $ 21,398
Drinking Water Utility Funds For Condition assessment: $ 172,024
Total - Design Engineering and Construction Management Services: $ 599,994
The costs shown above are for Gray & Osborne Inc. design engineering and construction management services only. These design efforts will provide staff with an up-to-date estimate of anticipated construction costs.
Options:
1. Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement with Gray & Osborne Inc. for $599,994 for design engineering and construction management services for the Transmission Main Seismic Valves and Condition Assessment Project.
2. Direct staff to negotiate a contract with the second-place design consulting firm. This could result in delays to the project and could impact the use of Federal funds.
3. Direct staff to design the project using City engineering staff. Public Works has determined that Engineering has insufficient staff to complete this project in a timely manner without impacting other capital projects and could impact use of Federal funds.
Attachments:
Resolution
Agreement
Vicinity Map