It is anticipated that the schedule for the gravity pipeline design and construction will take from fall 2017 through summer 2022. The current schedule for the FoP facilities design and construction span from fall 2017 to fall 2022. A design-build agreement on this project will be brought before the Commission in November.
The project includes a Receiving Lift Station, a Headworks, an Influent Connector Pipeline, and other support facilities.
Both projects are part of SVCW's Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade (RESCU) program, with the gravity pipeline project estimated cost of $220 million and the FoP project estimated at $93 million.
They are major projects in SVCW's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 2017 plan update, which the Commission adopted Thursday.
SVCW's first CIP was adopted by the Commission in May 2008. Over the past nine years, many major projects have been undertaken and completed and the CIP is now a long-term rolling process to keep SVCW facilities in good operating condition and performing intended services.
The CIP project objectives are:
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Replace the existing wastewater infrastructure and other improvements to the conveyance system to ensure reliable operation of the overall wastewater conveyance system in accordance with San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) permit conditions.
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Reduce the likelihood of spills and discharges of untreated sewage to the surrounding environment, which has occurred numerous times with the existing 45-year-old concrete sewer force main that operates above its design pressure.
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Implement a project that minimizes adverse environmental effects; adverse impacts to public health and private property owners; utility interference and disruption during construction; and short-term and long-term costs.
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Improve plant process reliability, and increase operational readiness.
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Meet future regulatory requirements imposed by the RWQCB for nutrients discharged into the San Francisco Bay.
The current update to the CIP includes information regarding the status of projects already identified, newly identified projects, updates estimated project costs and timing, indicates completed projects and provides corresponding budgets for each. The CIP also includes consideration of necessary California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) actions for projects from inception (2008) through the fiscal year 2024-2025.
Approximately $239 million has been spent on capital projects to date. The 2017 CIP update approved by the Commission estimates costs at $834 million. $595 million remains to be spent, which will be financed using a defined long-term strategy. Since SVCW member agency (Belmont, Redwood City, San Carlos, West Bay Sanitary) sewer rates provide the underlying repayment security for this financing, SVCW annually updates its Long Range Financial Plan as a roadmap for funding the CIP. A revised LRFP will be presented to the member agencies for incorporation into their respective budgets and rate strategies in January 2018.
Besides issuing the design-build agreement to Barnard-Bessac Joint Ventures, the Commission also approved task orders for Kennedy/Jenks for owner engineering advisor services and Tanner Pacific for construction management/quality assurance services associated with Stage 1 work of the gravity pipeline project.