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Home My WebLink About2013-01-16 PACKET 04.N.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # DATE 1/16113 PREPARED BY Public Works Les Burshten ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST Consider approval of a resolution authorizing advertising for bids and establishing a bid date for the Water Meter Replacement Program Project. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Adopt resolution authorizing advertising for bids and establishing a bid date for the Water Meter Replacement Program Project. BUDGET IMPLICATION $ $ BUDGETED AMOUNT ACTUAL AMOUNT FUNDING SOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION DATE REVIEWED ❑ PLANNING ❑ ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ ❑ PUBLIC WORKS ❑ ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ ❑ HUMAN SERVICES /RIGHTS ❑ ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ]� ❑ ❑ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ® MEMO /LETTER: Allan Larson, January 10, 2013 RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ® OTHER: Water Meter Study - TKDA ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS APPROVED DENIED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ r Gity dministrator Date COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ❑ APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER RESOLUTION NO. 13- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ADVERTISING FOR BIDS AND ESTABLISHING A BID DATE FOR THE WATER METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT. WHEREAS, the City proposes to solicit bids for the replacement of City water meters, at the rate of approximately 1500 meters per year for a period of three years; with the option for the City to unilaterally extend the contract for up to two additional years; and WHEREAS, TKDA has been retained to the bid documents in accordance with the City standards of the Water Meter Replacement Program; and WHEREAS, a bid date has been established for February 21, 2013- NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, County of Washington, State of Minnesota, as follows: 1. The Public Works director is directed to review the plans and specifications and is authorized to approve the same on behalf of the City, consistent with this resolution. 2, The City staff is authorized to advertise for bids on the approved plans and specifications. 3. Sealed bids will be received at the Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Parkway at 2:00 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013 Passed this 16 day of January, 2013. Myron Bailey, Mayor Attest: Caron M. Stransky, City Clerk 417466YI CAH M55 -4 4% gV05 perity eet ere pride �r+d To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members From: Allan Larson, Engineering Date: January 10, 2013 Subject: Three year with City option to add two years Joint Water Meter Replacement Program BACKGROUND: The City CIP budget for the years 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 includes $225,000 each year for the replacement of approximately 1500 older water meters in the service area which have reached their useful life and no longer meet AWWA Standards for accuracy. Water meters are a mechanical device and meter accuracy deteriorates with use, age, and water quality. Small residential water meters should provide fairly accurate and reliable service for 20 -25 years after installation. However, the guarantees provided by the meter manufacturers guarantee that new small meters will perform to AWWA. new meter accuracy for a period of 5 years. DISCUSSION: Plans and Specifications In order to obtain economic advantage, the plans and specifications have been prepared as a joint project with the City of Cottage Grove, the City of South St. Paul, and the Stillwater Board of Water Commissioners. Each entity has shared in the cost associated with the preparation of plans and specifications; each entity will have a separate bid form and each entity will award their own contract documents based upon their bid form. The City of Cottage Grove bid proposal requires the contractor to furnish and install 1500 water meters each year for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015 at a firm unit price. The bid proposal also includes a city option to select two additional years,.2016 and 2017, with CPI price adjustments to the unit bid prices. The engineers estimate for each year of the three year period, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is $225,000 per year for the contractor to furnish and install 1500 water meters per year. Bid Date A February 21, 2013, 2:00 PM bid date offers ample time to provide the legal advertisements required by the three entities and notifications to the contractors. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended the Council adopt attached resolution authorizing advertising for bids and establishing a February 21, 2013 bid date for the Water Meter Replacement Project. 'PROJECT MANUAL WATER. METER ER STUDY CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA Date: November 2012 Project No. 15118.000 444 Cedar Street, Suite 1500 Saint Paul, MN 55101 651,292,4400 tkda,com TKDA 444 CedorStreet, Suite 1500 Saint Pout, MN 55101 651.292.4400 tkdoxom SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA November 2012 PROJECT MANUAL WATER METER STUDY CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA TKDA► PROJECT NO. 16118.000 I hereby certify that these Specifications, with the exception of those sections listed hereinafter, were prepared by me or under my direct supervision and that I am a duly Licensed Professional Engineer under the laws of the State of Minnesota. Verne E. Japobsen, P. E. License No. 06988 15116.000 WATER METER STUDY CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA TKDA PROJECT NO. 15118,000 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. CERTIFICATION PAGE ......................................................................... ............................... i TABLEOF CONTENTS ............................................................................ .............................ii BACKGROUND....................... .......:................. ............................. ....... ................................ 1 WATER METER AS POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT,..... ..... .............................................. I METERMANUFACTURERS .................................................................. ..............................1 PERIODOF SERVICE .......................................................................... ............................... 2 FUTURE SYSTEM -- RADIO READ SYSTEM ....................................... ............................... 2 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION ................................................ ............................... 3 15118.000 WATER METER STUDY CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA BACKGROUND The City of Cottage Grove commissioned TKDA to assist their staff to investigate the options to replace water meters in their service area and to evaluate meter vendors and the water meters they offer. Based upon the water meter readings obtained from meter readings obtained by radio readings obtained by City staff, the City staff issues bills and collects for services provided to their customers. The City has installed Sensus Radio reading units on the exterior of their customers buildings which are connected by wires to the water meter register in the basement of the buildings to obtain the meter readings required for billing. Water Meters as Positive Displacement Water meters are a mechanical device. It is generally recognized that meter accuracy deteriorates with water flow and age. The guarantees provided by meter manufacturers confirms the loss in meter accuracy, as they state that a new small water meters will perform to AWWA New Meter accuracy for a period of 5 years or less. The multi-jet/velocity water meters, such as the Sensus PMM, tend to over register water use as they age. This is caused by deposits which accumulate in the meter orifice and decreases the orifice size which increases the water velocity through the water meter. As water use is measured by velocity,. over registration of water use occurs. Meter Manufacturers There are three main /major manufacturers that offer and support water metering systems in our area; Badger, Neptune and Sensus. All manufacturers can supply radio reading systems, but the systems are not standardized, and in most cases are not interchangeable. Therefore, when a city selects a water metering system, they are likely to continue to use that same product for the next 20 -25 years. 1 15118.000 Currently only Badger and Neptune can supply bronze water meters, which comply with AWWA C -700 Standard and meet the requirements of the NSF Standard 61. Sensus currently supplies only a composite water meter in order to meet the requirements of the NSF Standard 61 (no lead requirements). Meter suppliers offer long term support for their systems. For a radio read system this includes warranty work on equipment or technical support for the billing and reading systems. Period of Service The metering system should function during the 20 -25 year life of the water meter. Meter batteries usually have a 20 year life warranty, which is prorated after 10 years. The warranty is for the battery only and doesn't cover the labor or installat €on of a new battery. Several systems do not have a changeable battery and the entire radio unit must be replaced when the internal battery falls. Future System — Radio Read System TKDA staff participated in project meetings with City staff to discuss customer service issues, define reading and billing needs, and to determine the reliability concerns with the current water metering system. The mobile drive -by radio water metering system with bronze meters meets the long term goats of the City staff and compliments the existing inplace water metering. As the City currently has a Sensus Radio reading system, the desire is to continue to use that radio system with bronze meters. To accomplish this, either one or both Badger and Neptune bronze meters must function with the Sensus radio reading system. City staff has installed several Badger meters which function well with the existing Sensus radio reading system. Neptune is currently working on changes required to their meters which will allow their meters to function with the Sensus Radio reading system. Therefore, it appears that the City can continue to utilize the existing drive -by radio reading system with new bronze meters. This is the most economical choice for the City of Cottage Grove to continue with their existing water meter reading system as it allows the continued use of the Sensus radio units and the current billing system. 2 95118.000 The other choices, would be to purchase and istall a new mobile drive -by water metering system for the entire service area or to install a new water metering system over the next several years. This would require the City staff to operate and provide maintenance on two water metering systems from two vendors for a 1015 year period. Summary and Recommendation We recommend that the City continue to utilize the Sensus Radio reading equipment with bronze meters supplied by the other meter vendors. We also recommend that the City replace the velocity meters as soon as possible. Our recommendations are based on the following reasons: 1. The Sensus PMM Meters tend to over register water use as they age. 2. The bronze water meters supplied by Badger have been tested and function with the existing reading and billing system. 3, the most economical choice is for the City to continue using the inplace Sensus 'Radio units with new bronze meters. 3 15118.000