SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Award a Purchase Order (Contract) to De Nora Water Technologies Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA in the amount of $150,000.00 for the purchase of media change-out service and repairs to the arsenic adsorption system at the Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant 1 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
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SUMMARY:
Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant 1 (RO1) has an adsorption filter system that is used to meet primary drinking water compliance for arsenic. The filter system utilizes a synthetic granular iron media specifically designed to remove Arsenic and has a specific life. There are 2 filter vessels; A and B within the system. It is estimated that every year at least one filter will require new media. The media in Filter A has already been replaced once. Filter B has media that is very close to the end of its useful life.
De Nora Water Technologies will provide the media change-out service and repairs for the arsenic adsorption system at RO1 to continue compliance with primary drinking water regulations. In accordance with City Code Section 2.564 (1)(b), Exceptions to Bidding, De Nora is the sole source provider and the only qualified vendor to work on the underdrain of the adsorption filter system.
Public Utilities Water Division believes there is a broken section of underdrain material in the vessel. Siemens makes a similar iron based media, which has a higher density and moisture content. As the media vessel is currently configured, the import media from Siemens is not compatible with the underdrain and using this product would cause failures and plant shutdowns. Per the manufacturer’s recommendation, De Nora will add a layer of gravel to prevent future underdrain failures.
The City currently has a 5-year performance bond on the Bayoxide E33, which was a part of the RO1 expansion project. The City required a 5-year performance bond as it needed assurance that this new technology to remove arsenic would be effective and the replacement media would continue to be available for at least that time period. Using any other media for the change-out would void the performance bond. However, the proposed modification to this underdrain system by De Nora would then allow the Siemens product to be considered in the future.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
0327-96721-563800-533-000-0000 $150,000.00
Sufficient funding is available in the Utility Renewal and Replacement Fund 0327-96721, System R & R Maintenance to fund the current fiscal year’s cost of $150,000.00 of the contract.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A