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VICTOR VALLEY WASTEWATER RECLAMATION AUTHORITY Board Of Commissioners Staff Report |
| TO: | VVWRA Board of Commissioners |
| FROM: | Darron Poulsen, General Manager |
| SUBMITTED BY: | Latif Laari, Environmental Compliance Manager |
| DATE: | March 19, 2026 |
| SUBJECT: | Recommendation to authorize the General Manager to approve the sole source purchase of nine (9) sludge flow meters for the Regional Plant at a cost not to exceed $93,451.05 |
| Fiscal Impact | Yes |
| Account Code: | 01-02-545-6010-9999 |
| Funds Budgeted/ Approved: | Yes |
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board authorize the General Manager to approve the sole source (Exhibit 1) purchase of nine sludge flow meters for the Regional Plant in an amount not to exceed $93,451.05 (Exhibit 2)
PREVIOUS ACTION(S)
None
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The existing sludge flowmeters installed at the Regional Plant are obsolete and have reached manufacturer's end of life status. Replacement parts and technical support are increasingly difficult to obtain, resulting in extended downtime and higher maintenance risk. Due to age-related degradation of sensors and electronics, these meters no longer provide reliable or accurate flow data, especially under high solids loading, which directly affects process control, solids accounting, and regulatory reporting. Replacing them with modern self-cleaning magnetic flowmeters will restore dependable measurement, reduce failure risk, and align the facility’s critical instrumentation with current industry standards.
Replacement Justification:
Reduced Maintenance Costs and Labor:
Replacement Justification:
Reduced Maintenance Costs and Labor:
- Elimination of Manual Cleaning Requirements: Conventional electromagnetic flowmeters in sludge applications are highly susceptible to electrode coating and fouling from the high solids content, oils, and grease present in waste-activated sludge. Current maintenance practices require regular shutdown of process flows, physical removal of the flowmeter, manual cleaning of electrodes, and reinstallation, a labor-intensive process that typically requires up to 10 hours per cleaning event.
- Self-Cleaning Technology: The Siemens MAG 6000 transmitters include integrated automatic cleaning units that periodically energize the electrodes to remove buildup without process interruption. This automated cleaning eliminates the need for manual electrode maintenance, reducing both labor hours and associated costs.
- Reduced Downtime: Manual cleaning requires process shutdown, bypass operations, and removal of equipment from service. Each cleaning event results in approximately 4 to 5 hours of equipment downtime. Self-cleaning systems perform maintenance automatically during normal operation, eliminating process interruptions and improving system availability.
Improved Measurement Accuracy:
- Electrode Coating Impact: Research demonstrates that electrode fouling in sludge applications causes significant measurement drift and inaccuracy. Coating buildup progressively degrades signal quality, leading to flow underestimation that can range from 5-15% depending on coating severity. This measurement error directly impacts process control decisions, regulatory reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
- Continuous Accuracy Maintenance: Self-cleaning electromagnetic flowmeters maintain electrode surfaces in clean condition, preserving the electromagnetic signal integrity required for accurate flow measurement. Industry literature shows that properly maintained magnetic flowmeters in sludge applications can achieve ±0.5% to ±1% accuracy, compared to ±2% to ±5% or worse for fouled conventional units.
The replacement of existing conventional flowmeters with self-cleaning electromagnetic flowmeters represents a sound investment in operational efficiency, measurement reliability, and maintenance cost reduction. The automated cleaning capability eliminates labor-intensive manual maintenance while maintaining superior measurement accuracy critical for process control and regulatory compliance.
It is recommended that the Board authorize the General Manager to approve the sole source (Exhibit 1) purchase of nine sludge flow meters for the Regional Plant in an amount not to exceed $93,451.05 (Exhibit 2).
It is recommended that the Board authorize the General Manager to approve the sole source (Exhibit 1) purchase of nine sludge flow meters for the Regional Plant in an amount not to exceed $93,451.05 (Exhibit 2).