Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing Application for a State of Washington Hazard Mitigation Grant to Upgrade the McAllister Wellfield Transmission Main and Resolution Designating the City of Olympia as the Applicant Agent
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the Resolution authorizing the City to apply for a State of Washington Hazard Mitigation Grant and the State required form titled “Resolution Designating Applicant Agent”, as well as authorize the City Manager to sign the grant, if awarded.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing the City to apply for a hazard mitigation grant and sign the State required form titled “Resolution Designating Applicant Agent”, a requirement to be attached to the grant application for the seismic upgrades of the McAllister Wellfield transmission main.
Staff Contact:
Aurora S. Isabel, Project Engineer II, Public Works/Water Resources, 360.753.8323
Presenter:
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is available to the State of Washington following a presidential declaration of a major disaster. The program funds mitigation planning initiatives and mitigation projects designed to reduce or eliminate the effects and costs of future disaster damage. A Major Disaster Declaration DR-4539 (Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, and Tornado) was federally declared on April 23, 2020. Subsequently, a new HMGP round was announced on June 19, 2020. The announcement identifies funding priorities within the DR-4539 Declared counties, which includes Thurston County.
At least 20 damaging earthquakes have rattled Washington State in the last 125 years - most in Western Washington. According to the 2018 update of the US National Seismic Hazard Model by United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Puget Sound region has a 75 percent or greater chance of being hit by a damaging earthquake in the next 100 years. The new models examine which areas are in the worst danger of earthquakes. The Puget Sound region has the same level of potential danger as California.
The 2016 Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis (HIVA) for the City of Olympia identifies various hazards in the region and then assesses the risk associated with each hazard consistent with the Thurston County regional risk assessment. HIVA has identified Olympia to be high on Risk, Probability of Occurrence, and Vulnerability for earthquakes.
The City’s drinking water system supplies potable and firefighting water to a population of approximately 65,000 people. Approximately eighty percent of the City’s water supply comes from the McAllister Wellfield located about 8 miles east of the city limits. Water from the McAllister Wellfield is conveyed to the City’s water distribution system via the 8.3-mile long, 36-inch diameter McAllister Wellfield transmission main. Aging pipeline and material make the McAllister Wellfield transmission main vulnerable to earthquakes. 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. To facilitate repair and avoid the loss of water and minimize the harmful effects of an uncontrolled release of water resulting from an earthquake, the City proposes to install seismic valves at strategic locations on the McAllister Wellfield transmission main.
The “Resolution Designating Applicant Agent” must be submitted with the completed FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Sub-Application for the Installation of Seismic Valves on the McAllister Wellfield Transmission Main. The grant sub-application is due November 6, 2020.
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 to the City's transmission pipeline. With the proposed installation of seismic valves at strategic locations, the adverse impacts of an uncontrolled release of water will be minimized.
Options:
1 Approve the resolution. This allows staff to apply for the grant by the deadline and, if funded, implement the project in 2022-2025.
2 Do not approve the resolution. Staff would not apply for grant funding, instead an alternative source of funding, such as water utility rates, will be required for the project.
Financial Impact:
The total project cost is estimated at $1,500,000. The maximum federal share is 75% of the total eligible costs. The minimum non‐federal cost share is 25%. In some instances, the state will split the non‐federal share between the state (12.5%) and the applicant (12.5%). If no state match is received, the City’s 25% match will be covered by the Drinking Water Utility.
Attachments:
Resolution
Resolution Designating Applicant Agent