Approve amendments extending the term of the contracts with West Yost and TRC Engineers through June 30, 2026, for services relating to the North Davis Meadows County Service Area (CSA) Water Consolidation Project with the City of Davis; and authorize the County Administrator to execute the amendments. (No general fund impact) (Webb/Pavlova)

The North Davis Meadows County Service Area (NDM CSA) provides, among other services, water service for both potable and non-potable uses to the community's 95 residential parcels.  Since 2009, the NDM CSA has been working toward a permanent solution for mitigation of water quality concerns in the community's public water system, most notably nitrate, hexavalent chromium, aluminum and iron in excess of maximum contaminant levels (MCLs).  For the past few years, the NDM CSA has been exploring options for providing a cleaner water supply in order to reach regulatory compliance with California drinking water standards.  After assessing a variety of options, the NDM CSA Advisory Committee and the community concluded that consolidating with the City of Davis public water system was the most reliable and cost-effective method to comply with California drinking water regulations and to ensure the health and safety, including fire protection, for the residents of North Davis Meadows ("the Water Consolidation Project" or "the Project"). 

On March 18, 2018, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution, after a successful Proposition 218 proceeding, that increased fees commensurate with the cost of a construction loan and approved the Project. On December 18, 2018 the City of Davis Council approved a resolution executing an agreement with Yolo County to provide potable water to the North Davis Meadows community (Agreement No. 18-261), which will connect the NDM CSA to the City of Davis.  Prior to the Project initiating construction, legal challenges were made regarding the Proposition 218 process which halted progress.  The litigation was resolved in 2021 in the County's favor, allowing the Project to move forward. Subsequently, County staff reinstated the Project and have been working directly with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to finalize financing for the Project through a grant in the amount of $7.6 Million for the Project to cover the majority of the costs of the Project.

On December 6, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved the Project plans and specifications and authorized the Procurement Division to advertise for construction management services and construction bids. The Board of Supervisors approved the Project financing and authorized Staff to execute necessary implementing documents on June 6, 2023 (Resolution No. 23-97). 

In February 2024, the County issued a request for construction bids and, in August 2024, the Board of Supervisors awarded the construction contractor to Soracco, Inc.  Construction began in September 2024.  The Project is nearly complete, however it has been paused because the City of Davis is concerned there may be lower than desired water pressure to serve the NDM community for fire flow. This determination stems from the City's latest system modeling runs, which indicate lower pressure levels in the NDM community compared to what was reported in the 2022 West Yost technical memo.   The City of Davis is working on options for increasing the pressure in its system.  The City and the County have discussed various potential solutions to increase the pressure in order to complete construction on the Project.

County staff have asked West Yost for additional engineering services for guidance on the water pressure issue.  The West Yost contract expired on June 30, 2025, but an extension is needed for additional assistance to the County.  The proposed West Yost contract amendment to extend the term of the contract is in Attachment A.  Likewise, the construction management contract with TRC Engineers also expired on June 30, 2025.  Construction management services are still needed for the outstanding tie-in to the City of Davis as well as coordination of the final construction punch list.  The proposed TRC contract amendment is in Attachment B.  Both contracts have sufficient funds for now, so staff is not asking for increased funding at this time.  If additional funding is needed in the future, staff will return to the Board of Supervisors for approval.  County staff recommend granting a time extension for both the West Yost and TRC Engineers contracts.