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Agenda Item: 15(d) |
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 Aria Filtra - Trojan Technologies Corp. for Replacing 144 Microfiltration Membranes at the North Water Treatment Plant (NWTP) in the amount of $531,026.61 - Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager, Water & Sewer Department.
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BACKGROUND:
The North Water Treatment Plant (NWTP) treats raw surface water from the City’s Source Water Facility using a lime softening process followed by a microfiltration membrane system. The NWTP is permitted to produce up to 6.67 million gallons per day (MGD) of drinking water and meets approximately 70% of the City’s total potable water demand. After lime softening, the treated water is filtered through hollow-fiber membrane modules that remove turbidity, bacteria, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and other particulate contaminants.
The NWTP’s membrane filtration (MF) system consists of six (6) racks, each containing 72 membrane modules. Over time, these modules become fouled through normal operation, reducing permeability and limiting water production capacity. Membrane modules typically have a service life of approximately 8 to 10 years; therefore, annual funding for membrane replacement is included in the Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Based on current performance and condition, 144 membrane modules, approximately eight years old, have reached the end of their useful life and require replacement. The replacement includes all necessary components to restore full operational performance, including the membrane modules, hoses, end caps, gaskets, nuts, and couplings.
Maintaining reliable performance of the MF system is essential to meeting community drinking water demands and ensuring the City’s water supply remains stable and dependable. Pall Corporation is the original manufacturer of the existing membrane filtration system; however, in 2023 Pall’s “Pall Water” business unit was separated from the Pall Corporation and rebranded as Aria Filtra, becoming a division of Trojan Technologies. Because the replacement membranes must be fully compatible with the existing infrastructure, control systems, and operational procedures, the procurement cannot be competitively bid.
Accordingly, staff is requesting City Council approval to utilize a non-competitive procurement method as authorized in the City Code of Ordinances, Article V, Division 2, 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 makes 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 through the approved FY2026 CIP Renewal, Replacement, and Improvement (RR&I) fund under project number 21001, NWTP Membrane Replacement.
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Interim City Manager to issue a purchase order to Aria Filtra for the replacement of 144 microfiltration membranes at the City’s North Water Treatment Plant in the amount of $531,026.61.
POTENTIAL MOTION:
“I move to authorize the Interim City Manager to Issue a Purchase Order to Aria Filtra for the Replacement of 144 Microfiltration Membranes at the North Water Treatment Plant in the Amount of $531,026.61”.