To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
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APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH ECOKAI ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. FOR WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND TESTING SERVICES AT SEASIDE LAGOON FOR AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $50,000, A FIVE-YEAR TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000, AND A TERM THAT EXPIRES ON APRIL 16, 2029
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) requires the City to perform water quality monitoring and testing at the Season Lagoon Facility per the Waste Discharge Requirements set forth in Los Angeles Regional Board National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) No. CA0064297, Permit Order No. R4-2017-0178. EcoKai Environmental, Inc. (Ecokai) has performed testing for the Beach Cities Watershed coordinated shoreline and receiving water monitoring requirements for several years and is well suited to perform the Lagoon’s required sampling. Based on their technical expertise, past local experience, and the sensitivity of the current regulatory environment, staff is recommending that EcoKai be hired to provide the service through the next five years, as needed, until the facility is closed for reconstruction. This Agreement will authorize monitoring and testing for up to $50,000 per year, with a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000 during the five-year term, and will help ensure compliance with the current Seaside Lagoon Permit requirements.
BACKGROUND
The Seaside Lagoon Facility, located at 200 Portofino Way, is owned and operated by the City. The Facility consists of a 1.4-million-gallon man-made saltwater lagoon, artificial beach, children’s play area, and other recreational amenities. The Lagoon was constructed in 1962 and has been open to the public for swimming from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year since that time. The City also rents the facility out for periodic events.
Seaside Lagoon has been operating under a renewable RWQCB NPDES Permit on a five-year cycle since 1999. The current Permit requires that the City demonstrate compliance for each year’s operational period through a combination of dechlorination treatment, Lagoon effluent monitoring, and reporting. Each Permit cycle, the Permit has become more stringent and, due to the age and limitations of the facility infrastructure, difficult to comply. The City has plans to rebuild the facility and eliminate all discharge to coastal waters but, until that time, the City must continue to comply with the discharge Permit.
On September 2, 2017, the Regional Board adopted Waste Discharge Requirements set forth in the RWQCB NPDES No. CA0064297, Permit Order No. R4-2017-0178 and Time Schedule Order No. R4-2017-0179. The renewed 2017 Permit sampling requirements are extensive and require that numerous categories of pollutants be tested; including, but not limited to, indicator bacteria, suspended solids, toxicity, metals, residual chorine, ammonia, PH, oil and grease, oxygen, and asbestos.
Approval of the proposed agreement, will allow EcoKai to conduct all sampling, analysis, and reporting as required by the Seaside Lagoon’s Monitoring and Reporting Program. The contract services are provided as needed. In the event the Lagoon is closed for reconstruction, the services and associated expense will be discontinued.
COORDINATION
The agreement has been coordinated with the Waterfront and Economic Development Department. The City Attorney’s Office approved the agreement as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the water quality monitoring agreement is included in the Seaside Lagoon’s annual operating budget, which is part of the Tidelands Fund. The agreement has an annual cost not to exceed $50,000.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agmt - EcoKai Environmental, Inc.
• Insurance - EcoKai Environmental, Inc.