7.
City Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 10/31/2017
- From:
- Ryan Roberts, Water Services Engineering Manager
TITLE
Discussion of Water Services Biosolids Master Planning Effort.
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Discussion only
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Water Services Division is planning to conduct a Biosolids Master Plan (BMP) to define a roadmap on how the City wants to treat, manage and dispose of its wastewater Biosolids from the Wildcat Hill Water Reclamation Plant. In response to the 2013 Consent Order from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, City Council authorized a “temporary” solids management solution using GeoTubes. One goal of this master plan will be to evaluate solids management alternatives to move the City away from the temporary solution to a permanent long-term solution. The engineering consultant will complete a comprehensive review of a broad range of Biosolids management options used within the United States and globally, including “green” or “sustainable” alternatives. The consultant will then make recommendations on capital improvement projects that the City should implement in short-term (5-years) and long-term (greater than 10 years). Staff would like to engage City Council and receive input on the scope and direction of this important master planning effort.
INFORMATION:
Biosolids may be described as a nutrient-rich material that results from the biological treatment of municipal wastewater. This master planning effort will address Biosolids produced at the Rio De Flag Water Reclamation Plant (RDFWRP) and the Wildcat Hill Water Reclamation Plant (WHWRP). The development of the Master Plan had the following principal objectives:
• To document the status of the existing Biosolids program at each treatment plant, in terms of process capacity, availability and reliability;
• To identify the limitations in the existing process at each of the City’s wastewater treatment plants and opportunities and constraints related to future management of Biosolids;
• To complete a comprehensive review of a broad range of Biosolids management options available locally and globally and identify those that are feasible for Flagstaff;
• To develop a decision-making process, that reflects the priorities and goals of the City, public, and other stakeholders, to be used in selecting preferred options for each plant;
• To identify a Biosolids management strategy for each plant, that includes one or more of the preferred options and to define a plan for implementing the strategy.
The BMP will provide sufficient detail to allow City decision-makers to load the CIP with Near Term (5 Years), Mid-Term (5-10 Years), and long-term (Buildout) components of the plan. In addition, the BMP will outline a detailed approach for near and long-term Biosolids management (utilization) alternatives and discuss potential "green" or sustainable" projects. The BMP will include a Biosolids market survey to determine potential end-use alternatives and will anticipate and provide for flexibility, to accommodate changes in regulations and/or City priorities in the management of Biosolids.
The principal objectives of the Biosolids Master Plan are:
• To document the status of the existing Biosolids program at each treatment plant, in terms of process capacity, availability and reliability;
• To identify the limitations in the existing process at each of the City’s wastewater treatment plants and opportunities and constraints related to future management of Biosolids;
• To complete a comprehensive review of a broad range of Biosolids management options available locally and globally and identify those that are feasible for Flagstaff;
• To develop a decision-making process, that reflects the priorities and goals of the City, public, and other stakeholders, to be used in selecting preferred options for each plant;
• To identify a Biosolids management strategy for each plant, that includes one or more of the preferred options and to define a plan for implementing the strategy.
The Biosolids Master Plan Project is anticipated to analyze and recommend integrated solutions that meet state and federal regulatory requirements and align with strategic goals of the City including but not limited to the following:
(1) Increase the City’s Biosolids capability and Solids Handling capacity;
(2) Allow capacity for additional growth and development within the City;
(3) Optimize the costs of operations, disposal of solids, and Biosolids processing and reuse;
(4) Increase the Energy Independence of the Wildcat Hill WRP;
(5) Decrease the City’s Energy Cost;
(6) Reduce the City’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions;
(7) Explore ways to Increase local use of Biosolids/composting.
In May 2017, the City received four qualifications-based proposals for the project. Six staff members evaluated the proposals and presentations based on the City’s consultant selection criteria. The selection committee unanimously agreed that the Carollo Engineers team demonstrated an innovative and collaborative approach to the BMP that provided the best value to the City. On November 7, 2017 staff will be returning to Council for award of the contract to the Carollo team. Recognizing the complexity and size of this project staff wanted to provide Council some background.
• To document the status of the existing Biosolids program at each treatment plant, in terms of process capacity, availability and reliability;
• To identify the limitations in the existing process at each of the City’s wastewater treatment plants and opportunities and constraints related to future management of Biosolids;
• To complete a comprehensive review of a broad range of Biosolids management options available locally and globally and identify those that are feasible for Flagstaff;
• To develop a decision-making process, that reflects the priorities and goals of the City, public, and other stakeholders, to be used in selecting preferred options for each plant;
• To identify a Biosolids management strategy for each plant, that includes one or more of the preferred options and to define a plan for implementing the strategy.
The BMP will provide sufficient detail to allow City decision-makers to load the CIP with Near Term (5 Years), Mid-Term (5-10 Years), and long-term (Buildout) components of the plan. In addition, the BMP will outline a detailed approach for near and long-term Biosolids management (utilization) alternatives and discuss potential "green" or sustainable" projects. The BMP will include a Biosolids market survey to determine potential end-use alternatives and will anticipate and provide for flexibility, to accommodate changes in regulations and/or City priorities in the management of Biosolids.
The principal objectives of the Biosolids Master Plan are:
• To document the status of the existing Biosolids program at each treatment plant, in terms of process capacity, availability and reliability;
• To identify the limitations in the existing process at each of the City’s wastewater treatment plants and opportunities and constraints related to future management of Biosolids;
• To complete a comprehensive review of a broad range of Biosolids management options available locally and globally and identify those that are feasible for Flagstaff;
• To develop a decision-making process, that reflects the priorities and goals of the City, public, and other stakeholders, to be used in selecting preferred options for each plant;
• To identify a Biosolids management strategy for each plant, that includes one or more of the preferred options and to define a plan for implementing the strategy.
The Biosolids Master Plan Project is anticipated to analyze and recommend integrated solutions that meet state and federal regulatory requirements and align with strategic goals of the City including but not limited to the following:
(1) Increase the City’s Biosolids capability and Solids Handling capacity;
(2) Allow capacity for additional growth and development within the City;
(3) Optimize the costs of operations, disposal of solids, and Biosolids processing and reuse;
(4) Increase the Energy Independence of the Wildcat Hill WRP;
(5) Decrease the City’s Energy Cost;
(6) Reduce the City’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions;
(7) Explore ways to Increase local use of Biosolids/composting.
In May 2017, the City received four qualifications-based proposals for the project. Six staff members evaluated the proposals and presentations based on the City’s consultant selection criteria. The selection committee unanimously agreed that the Carollo Engineers team demonstrated an innovative and collaborative approach to the BMP that provided the best value to the City. On November 7, 2017 staff will be returning to Council for award of the contract to the Carollo team. Recognizing the complexity and size of this project staff wanted to provide Council some background.