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Agenda Item: 15(e) |
Prepared By: Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager, Water & Sewer |
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Business: City Council Item |
Department: Water & Sewer |
Subject:
Title
Authorize the Interim City Manager to Issue a Purchase Order to Toray Membrane USA, Inc. for Replacing 180 Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes at the South Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) in the Amount of $83,452.36 - Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager, Water & Sewer Department.
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BACKGROUND:
Approximately 30 percent of the City’s drinking water demand is supplied by the Southwest Water Treatment Plant (SWTP), which treats brackish groundwater using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane treatment process. RO treatment relies on semi-permeable membranes that remove dissolved salts and other impurities by applying pressure to force water through the membranes while rejecting contaminants.
The RO membrane system consists of six (6) one-million-gallon-per-day membrane trains. Each train includes thirty (30) pressure vessels, and each vessel contains six (6) tightly spiral-wound RO membrane elements. Over time, RO membranes become fouled and deteriorate, reducing system efficiency and increasing the energy required to produce the same volume of finished water. RO membranes typically have a service life of approximately eight (8) to ten (10) years. Accordingly, annual funding for membrane replacement is included in the Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget.
Based on current membrane performance and condition, one train consisting of 180 RO membrane elements, approximately ten (10) years old, has reached the end of its useful life and requires replacement to ensure continued reliable operation and maintain production capacity.
The existing RO membranes are manufactured and supplied by Toray Membrane USA, Inc. To maintain compatibility with the existing infrastructure, instrumentation and control systems, and established operating procedures, staff request City Council approval to utilize non-competitive procurement in accordance with the City Code of Ordinances, Article V, Section 2-255(c), based on the following criteria:
• Section 2-255 (c)(5): Maintenance and servicing of equipment by the manufacturer or authorized service agent of the equipment.
• Section 2-255 (c)(7): Where complete systems or equipment, parts, or replacements of specified make and models are needed for interoperability, compatibility, or standardization purposes.
• Section 2-255 (c)(8): When competitive purchasing would not otherwise be in the best interest of the city.
Water and Sewer staff worked with the City’s drinking water consultant (Jacobs Engineering) to evaluate the cost proposal and confirmed the pricing is fair and reasonable based on comparable recent membrane replacement projects. Funding for this expenditure is available in the approved Water and Sewer CIP budget.
FUNDING SOURCE / FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this project is provided in the approved FY2026 CIP Renewal and Replacement (RR&I) under project number 16161 RO Membrane Replacement.
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Interim City Manager to issue a purchase Order to Toray Membrane USA, Inc. for the replacement of 180 Reverse Osmosis Membranes at the City’s South Water Treatment Plant in the amount of $83,452.36.
POTENTIAL MOTION:
“I move to authorize the Interim City Manager to Issue a Purchase Order to Toray Membrane USA, Inc. for the Replacement of 180 Reverse Osmosis Membranes at the South Water Treatment Plant in the Amount of $83,452.36.”