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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Utility Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 9/4/2019Glendale A R I Z O N A MINUTES CITIZENS UTILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION OASIS WATER CAMPUS 7070 NORTHERN AVE. GLENDALE, ARIZONA 85303 SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 6:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Liebman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Jonathan Liebman, Vice Chair Ron Short, and Commissioners Amber Ford, Larry Flatau, and Robin Berryhill Absent: Commissioner David McGrew It was noted that Commissioner Robert Gehl resigned from the Commission. Present: Jonathan Liebman, Chair Ronald Short, Vice Chair Robin Berryhill, Commissioner Larry Flatau, Commissioner Amber Ford, Commissioner David McGrew, Commissioner 3. CITIZEN COMMENTS If citizens wish to speak on a matter concerning the Citizens Utility Advisory Commission that is not on the printed agenda, please complete a yellow Citizen Comments Card. If citizens wish to speak on a matter that is on the agenda, please complete a green Citizen Comments Card. Provide the card(s) to the designated staff person prior to the beginning of the meeting. Once your name is called by the Chairperson, please proceed to the podium and state your name and address for the record. Please limit your comments to three minutes or less for items not on the agenda and five minutes or less for items on the agenda. None. 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES a. Citizen Utility Advisory Commission Minutes of August 7, 2019. 5. DIRECTOR'S REPORT a. This report allows the Directors' of Field Operations and/or Water Services to update the Commission. The Commission is prohibited from discussing or acting on any of the items presented by the Staff since they are not itemized on the Citizen's Utility Advisory Commission Agenda. Water Services updates presented by Craig Johnson, P.E., Director Mr. Craig Johnson, Director, Water Services, gave a report which included the following: • Welcomed all back from the summer and provided the Commissioners with wise water use promotional items. • Announced Ms. Kerri Logan will present new public outreach videos later in the meeting regarding water use and rates. 6. DROUGHT UPDATE Presented by: Drew Swieczkowski, Environmental Program Manager Mr. Swieczkowski gave an update on the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP), which included the following information: • Graphs and Figures • Colorado River Basin Snowpack — 2019 was a banner year for snowpack • U.S. Drought Monitor • Current Conditions for Colorado River Supply — Level is better than last year • Lake Powell • 2000: 87% Full • 2018: Approximately 40% Full • 2019: 49% Full • Lake Mead • 2000: 91% Full • 2018: Approximately 32% Full • 2019: 39 % Full • DCP Shortage Levels • Five Shortage Tiers • Tier 0: 1,090 feet • Lake Mead Water Level Elevations • Bureau of Reclamation — Predictive Colorado River System Modeling • Most probable Lake Mead water level elevation on December 31, 2019, from August 24 -month study: • End of 2019 = 1,089.40 feet = Tier 0 Shortage (1,090 feet is the cut-off) • End of 2020 = 1,082.10 feet = Tier 0 Shortage • Drought Contingency Plan Cuts for 2020 • The August 24 -month study shows that Lake Mead will be below elevation 1,090 feet on January 1, 2020 • This is considered a Tier 0 Shortage • The reduction to Arizona's CAP supply will be 192,000 acre-feet • Municipalities will not feel any effect from this reduction • Less water to agriculture and recharge due to no excess CAP water • Arizona has been voluntarily conserving this volume in Lake Mead since 2015 • Predictions for Arizona Colorado River Shortages • Predictions for Tiers 0 through 3 for 2020 through 2024 were displayed • Bottom Line for Glendale • Well Prepared for Water Supply Reductions • Messaging for Drought/Shortage through AMWUA and West Valley Water Association • DCP Mitigation of CAP loss • Shortage Sharing with CA • Increased CAP Water Cost Chair Liebman asked how the reductions for Glendale would be determined. Mr. Swieczkowski explained that if a municipality reduction is made, which is split up between all municipalities. Chair Liebman wondered if the 1,890.40 feet prediction for the end of 2019 from the August 24 -month study could increase by the end of the year. Mr. Swieczkowski replied that the level could be higher, but the study has already been published and so it stands. Chair Liebman asked how many historical years the predictions for the Colorado River was based on. Mr. Swieczkowski believed the data went back to 1981. Chair Liebman requested a listing of the reductions by priority. Vice Chair Short inquired as to the total water available to the City and its usage. Mr. Swieczkowski replied as follows: • There is about 25,000 acre-feet of water available to the City annually (22,500 of CAP/Colorado River Water and 2,363 White Mountain Apache Indian Tribe) and the City uses just under 18,000 acre-feet of that. The difference is recharged in the ground for future uses. There is approximately 165,000 acre-feet underground now, which is about a four-year supply. • The City uses about 18,000 acre-feet of SRP water annually. Groundwater use has been decreasing and is at about 6% of the City's water use. The remaining 6% is effluent water for landscape irrigation and lakes. • The total City usage of all sources was about 48,000 acre-feet for 2018. The estimated usage for 2019 is approximately 47,000 acre-feet, which is a decrease. Commissioner Flatau wondered why water could not be diverted from Lake Powell to Lake Mead to bring the level above 1,090 feet. Mr. Swieczkowski explained that a transfer is done from Lake Powell to Lake Mead, but it is triggered by lake elevations and specific timing. The agenda item was concluded. 7. WATER SERVICES CIP PROJECT UPDATES 1. Plant Operations presented by: Ron Serio, P.E., Deputy Director 2. Systems Operations presented by: John Henny, Deputy Director Mr. Serio gave an update on the Water Services CIP, which included the following information and photos: • Plant Projects • Arrowhead Water Reclamation Facility • Will be completed by the end of 2019 • Cholla Water Treatment Plant • Will be completed next year, project in progress • Pyramid Peak Water Treatment • Project began July 2019 • Construction Process • Assessment/Study • Design • Construction • Arrowhead Ranch Water Reclamation Facility (ARWRF) • 101 and Union Hills • Timeline • Facility Assessment: 2014-2015 • Design: 2015-2017 • Begin Construction: 2017 • Construction: 2018 • Construction: 2019 • Expected Completion: Winter 2019/2020 • Headworks Construction • Filtration and Odor Control • Cholla Water Treatment Plant — Reservoir 1 • 47th Avenue and Cholla • Provides the bulk of the water to the City • Sedimentation Basin Column and Weir Repairs • Liner was bad, corrosion on roof, roof will be re -installed this winter, old pumps were rebuilt/replaced, basin improvements made, automated chemical feed • Electrical Equipment and Gear • Electrical system improvements, adding a back-up generator • Pyramid Peak Water Treatment Plant (PPWTP) • Glendale and Peoria share ownership • Peoria is paying for 100% of the Expansion Project • Improvements include: replacing fire pumps, backwash pumps, plant water supply pumps, electrical gear, and air conditioning • Site Plan shown • Aerial view via drone video footage was shown Mr. Serio reported that staff plans to perform an assessment of the plants every five years to keep the plants in good operating condition. Chair Liebman inquired as to the costs of the three projects. Mr. Serio replied that the cost for ARWRF project is approximately $34 million and the Cholla project is approximately $28 million. Mr. Serio explained that in regards to Pyramid Peak, the cost of the improvements is approximately $25 million, split 77% to Glendale and 23% to Peoria, and the cost of the expansion is approximately $54 million, 100% to Peoria. Mr. Serio noted that 100% of the expansion cost is included in the CIP and reimbursements from Peoria are coded to revenue. Chair Liebman inquired if Peoria uses any of the services from the Arrowhead Reclamation Facility. Mr. Serio replied in the negative and explained that 100% of this water goes to Arrowhead Amenities for the lakes and golf courses. Chair Liebman asked if Glendale provides Peoria with wastewater services. Mr. Serio replied in the negative, stating that Peoria has its own wastewater facilities. Chair Liebman commented that the City went ten years with no rate increase and wondered if some of the CIP projects presented would have been done earlier if a rate increase was implemented earlier. Mr. Serio replied in the positive. Mr. Johnson agreed and indicted that these projects were the reason the rate increase needed to be put in place. Chair Liebman asked if Council was aware that the department is behind on CIP projects because there were ten years without a rate increase. Mr. Johnson replied in the positive and noted that this was explained when the five-year rate increase plan was presented to Council, who then came on board. Mr. Johnson stated that Council will continue to be updated and the Integrated Water Plan will lay out the plan twenty-five years into the future. Chair Liebman asked if the plan would include rate modeling. Mr. Johnson relayed that the next rate study will be done in two years and a consultant will be brought on for that study. Mr. Johnson stated that the three CIP projects presented are approximately $100 million in total and $54 million will come from the City of Peoria. Vice Chair Short inquired if the Glendale is paying for the project upfront and if Peoria is then reimbursing Glendale. Mr. Serio explained that the project is in Glendale's budget because Glendale is in contract with the vendors. Glendale will pay the invoices initially and then will bill Peoria. Mr. Johnson added that Peoria has been paying invoices in a very timely manner. Commissioner Ford wondered if five years for a plant assessment was sufficient or the norm. Mr. Serio replied in the positive and stated that there are five plants and therefore, one plant will be done each year. Mr. Serio added that maintenance staff will fix items as needed during the year to maintain operations. Commissioner Flatau inquired if the contracts are drawn in house and if there is quality control on the contracts. Mr. Serio replied in the positive and explained that the contracts are drawn by the Engineering Department, the Legal Department reviews the contracts, and there is an audit process. Commissioner Flatau asked about different types of contracts that could be used, such as low bid and value bid. Mr. Serio explained there are pros and cons of each. Mr. Johnson stated that all of the construction contracts have a contingency for unknowns. Mr. Henny gave an update on the System CIP Projects, which included the following information and photos: • System Projects: Pipes, Hydrants & Valves, Meter Vaults • Sewer Line Rehabilitation/Replacement • Assessments conducted, NASSCO rating system used to develop prioritized list of projects • Sewer Line Replacement • Manhole Rehabilitation • Phase V Sewer Rehabilitation • Phase IV was completed in May 2018 • Phase V has 8,900 linear feet that will be rehabbed/replaced • Issues included: failed liners and cracked clay pipe • Water Line Replacement • Map of the water lines to be replaced was shown — nearly 10,700 feet of linear pipe • The construction portion of the contract was just awarded — approximately $3.3 million • Glendale is rated #1 ISO; and is one of only 300 cities in the U.S. that are rated #1. • 57th Avenue Water Line Replacement • Brick removal, trenching, 8" DIP • Fire Hydrant/Valve Replacement • Valves are exercised every 18 months and if broken, are put on the replacement list. A contractor is used for the replacement of valves. • Meter Vault Improvements • Annual testing is done on all large meters. • There are 129 total vaults on the list to be replaced, and about half have been done. Chair Liebman asked for confirmation on the cost of the system projects. Mr. Henny confirmed that the cost was near $5 million and estimated the following: $650,000 for valve replacement, $600,000 to $700,000 for vault improvements, and $3.3 million for water line replacement. Mr. Henny added that there is another project for about $2 million for water lines over the next two years due to streets projects. Chair Liebman inquired if the Commercial Water Rates were increased. Mr. Johnson replied in the positive and relayed that the increase goes to everyone who gets a water bill. Mr. Johnson commented on a new development near Camelback Ranch and explained that a new road is being built from Camelback Road to Maryland and infrastructure for water and sewer collection lines are being installed. This project should be done by February 2020. The agenda item was concluded. 8. CITIZEN OUTREACH Presented by: Kerri Logan, Deputy Director, Administration Ms. Logan announced that staff has been implementing different forms of outreach to the public, such as social media and videos. Ms. Logan stated that eight Water Webisodes were filmed regarding water usage and water rates. Four videos are already posted on the City's website, and others will be rolled out over the next few months. One of the videos was shown. Chair Liebman asked if the videos were posted on Facebook. Ms. Ruffalo replied in the positive and stated that the videos are also posted on Twitter and also shared in the What's On Tap? eblast emails to residents. 9. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS Commissioner Berryhill thanked staff for the excellent presentations and suggested putting information regarding the water videos in the water bills. Vice Chair Short suggested putting information regarding the videos in the Glendale Star. Commissioner Flatau thanked staff for the presentations. Commissioner Ford had not heard of or received the What's On Tap? emails. Ms. Ruffalo will ensure that the Commissioners are all on the email list. 10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioners may suggest items for placement on future meeting agendas. OCTOBER: 1. Balance Scorecard Update 2. Direct Potable Water Reuse 3. CUAC Chair and Vice Chair Recommendations • Chair Liebman inquired if there was a specific process for the recommendations. Ms. Logan replied that it would be a motion and vote. ??Commissioner Ford asked if the rate increase is meeting the department's need. Ms. Logan replied that a financial update is scheduled for November. Vice Chair Short liked the staff updates and information from other sections and divisions. 11. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Citizens Utility Advisory Commission will be held on October 2, 2019 at 6:00 p.m., at the Oasis Water Campus, 7070 W. Northern Ave., Glendale, Arizona, 85303. 12. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Berryhill, second by Commissioner Flatau, to adjourn the meeting at 7:53 p.m. Motion carried 5 — 0. The Citizens Utility Advisory Commission meeting minutes of September 4, 2019 were submitted and approved this 2nd day of October, 2019. Respectfully submitted, Denise Kazmierczak