$22.8 million water plant contract goes to supervisors

More potable surface water for the Carson City water supply is closer to realization as a large project contract heads to the Board of Supervisors.

During their Thursday meeting, which starts 8:30 a.m. in the community center, supervisors will consider a contract with Farr Construction Corp., (doing business as Resource Development Co.) not to exceed approximately $22.8 million for the Quill Water Treatment Plant Rehabilitation Project, which would revamp the plant off Kings Canyon Road.

“The project consists of replacing aging and obsolete water treatment equipment at the facility, including replacing the existing diatomaceous earth filter system with a package filtration system, a coagulation and polymer system, an ultraviolet disinfection system and other pumps and process piping,” reads a staff report. “The facility is currently permitted to treat up to 6 million gallons per day; however, the existing system is only capable of treating 1 million gallons per day due to the limitations of the facility’s existing technology.

“Completion of the project will allow the facility to treat up to 4 million gallons per day and includes piping and space to accommodate an additional filter vessel that can be added in the future to increase the facility’s treatment to 6 million gallons per day.”

The staff report says it’s unlikely the city would receive 6 million GPD for treatment over the next 7-10 years “due to improvements the state of Nevada is making to the Marlette Lake system that will require Marlette Lake to be drained, then refilled naturally.

“Increasing the facility’s capacity to treat surface water will allow the city to expand its use of surface water and reduce groundwater well usage. Reducing groundwater usage preserves groundwater reserves which are a critical resource for mitigating drought situations,” the report states.

Besides the Marlette system, the Quill plant draws from Kings Canyon and Ash Canyon creeks. In October 2023, the project received unanimous approval by the Carson City Planning Commission, which granted a special use permit. The commission reviewed plans for a 3,200-square-foot building expansion, additional drying ponds, a pad for an equalization tank, the filtration system and other improvements.

Before deciding on the contract, supervisors will consider allocating an additional $500,000 in undesignated ARPA funding to the rehabilitation. The project was previously allocated $3 million in ARPA funding and $2 million in congressional appropriations, according to a budget sheet for Thursday’s meeting.

“The lowest bid for the project came in approximately $6.9 million more than the available budget. An additional $6.4 million is available to be funded from undesignated funds in the Water Fund as well as rehabilitation and maintenance programs unused in fiscal year 2024 and FY 2025. This request is to allocate an additional $500,000 in ARPA funds to cover the remaining shortfall,” according to the agenda.

A staff report for the ARPA item states that in 2021 the project was estimated to be $11 million.

“However, with the competition and inflation over the last couple of years, this projection has increased, and amounts have been added to the Capital Improvement Plan for this project,” the report says. “Currently the budget is approximately $16 million. This anticipated increase was still not enough, as the lowest bid, with contingency came in at $22,816,500.”

Cameron Gresh, public information officer for the city, said several factors influenced the cost, “one of which is the state of the market currently.”

“Additionally, there are a limited number of contractors capable of completing this type of project. However, it should be noted that the actual project cost represents the lowest bid the city received,” Gresh said.

A base bid on the project from K.G. Walters Construction came in at approximately $24.7 million versus the $21.7 million base bid from Farr. Added to the latter for was a 5 percent contingency of about $1.1 million.

In other action:

• Supervisors will hear a discussion-only presentation from the Carson City Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife including the annual report from the Urban Wildlife Subcommittee.

“Some view certain urban wildlife as a hinderance while most welcome and enjoy cohabitating with the diverse urban wildlife present throughout the community,” reads the presentation materials.

Those materials, which include statistics from across the state, can be found online: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2856756/Urban_Wildlife_Carson_City-_Board_of_Supervisors_Presentation-_09-19-2024.pdf

Robert Boehmer from the advisory board is scheduled to give the presentation.

• Supervisors will hear a discussion-only presentation on the annual report from the city’s human resources department.

The report is available online: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2854160/FY_2024_HR_Annual_Report_09112024.pdf

“One of the city’s established goals in the Strategic Plan is organizational culture and an objective identified under this goal is strengthening employee development,” reads a staff report. “This is the third annual human resources report to be presented to the board, consistent with the Strategic Plan, for the purpose of furthering employee development.”

The report shows budgeted full-time employees for the city at 720 for fiscal year 2024, versus 687 the previous year. The increase was due to supplemental budget requests, the new public defender’s office and new grant-funded positions, according to the report.

The total turnover rate for full-time employees dropped from 18.5 percent in fiscal year 2023 to 16.8 precent in fiscal year 2024.

Deputy sheriff, office specialist and public safety communications operator were the most recruited positions in fiscal year 2024, according to the report.

“There was a 13% decrease in the number of city job openings and 25% increase in the number of applications received compared to FY23,” the report states.

• Supervisors will consider a city-owned site for a NV Energy solar initiative at no cost to the city.

Specifically, the board will consider the submission of the “Expanded Solar Access Program (ESAP) Host Site Nomination Form and the ESAP Statement of Community Support to NV Energy nominating the employee parking lot at the Public Works' Complex as the site for construction of carports topped with solar panels, with all construction and maintenance costs for the project paid by NV Energy’s Community Based Solar Resource (CBSR) program.”

“The CBSR program designs, builds and maintains qualifying solar projects,” reads a staff report. “The power generated at host sites constructed through the CBSR program is used by subscribers to NV Energy’s ESAP, which allows eligible NV Energy customers to save on energy costs by tapping into available solar energy resources, without ESAP participants needing to take on added costs or installing their own solar panels.

“Potentially eligible ESAP subscribers include low-income customers, disadvantaged businesses, non-profit organizations and residential customers who cannot install solar resources on their premises due to physical or ownership constraints.”

The public works site is attractive, the staff report says, “due to the demographics in the area, including the site’s proximity to the newly constructed Sierra Flats affordable housing project, directly across Butti Way.”

“It is anticipated the project could supply power to as many as 110 homes, powering a significant portion of the Sierra Flats project,” the staff report states. “There is no cost to the city to be a host site. NV Energy constructs and maintains the projects at their expense. Additionally, NV Energy provides compensation to the host site, in this case, construction of car ports.”

The term of the project is estimated to be 20-25 years, “the useful life of the solar panels,” according to the staff report.

The agenda states any future contract, easement, lease or agreement would return to supervisors for approval.