Revise bid solicitation and contracting for the Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project to reconfirm budget availability and reflect the adjusted estimate (amend Ordinance 190362)
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds:
- Ordinance No. 190362 passed Council on April 14, 2021, authorizing a contract and providing payment for the Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project (Project). The Project was delayed due to COVID and staffing issues. This ordinance reconfirms budget availability and reflects the adjusted engineer’s estimate.
- The existing Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility, owned by the Portland Water Bureau, was constructed in 1981 and is in poor condition and no longer in operation.
- The existing hypochlorite facility must be refurbished to chlorinate the two Washington Park Reservoir reflecting pools and provide secondary water quality treatment for downtown, Northwest Industrial and Southwest Waterfront districts, and Portland’s West Hills.
- Through the Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project (Project), the Portland Water Bureau will replace the hypochlorite system to meet operation and flow conditions, add an ammonia system, and upgrade the facility to meet current codes.
- The Project has been planned and located in accordance with appropriate engineering standards for the construction, maintenance, and improvement of the City’s water infrastructure. The solicitation for the procurement action for the construction will use the City’s standard construction procurement bid process.
- Ordinance No. 190362 will be amended to increase the engineer’s estimate from $1,300,000 to $1,850,000. The proposed action will not result in a change in the forecast water rates.
- Funding for the Project (W02108) is available in the FY 2022–23 Budget and will be requested in the FY 2023–24 Budget.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- Ordinance No. 190362 is amended to update the engineer’s estimate to $1,850,000 and construct the Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project.
- That City Procurement Office is authorized to bid the solicitation for construction of the Project.
- Upon the Council’s acceptance of the Chief Procurement Officer’s Report to Council recommending the lowest responsible bidder, the Chief Procurement Officer is authorized to negotiate and execute a contract, provided the contract has been approved as to form by the City Attorney’s office.
- All other terms and provisions of Ordinance No. 190362 remain the same and are not affected by this amendment.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
This legislation amends Ordinance No. 190362, passed by Council on April 14, 2021, which authorizes a contract and provides for the payment of the Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project (Project). The Project was delayed due to COVID and staffing issues. This ordinance reconfirms budget availability and reflects the adjusted engineer’s estimate.
The water in our system is disinfected with chloramines (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to make sure it is safe to serve to customers. When we store the water for a while in one place (like a tank or reservoir), the disinfectant, chloramine, can lose some of its strength. The good news is that our crews test our water daily, so if we notice a drop in disinfectant levels, we can increase the level of the chloramines. This is known as boosting.
The Hypochlorite Building was initially installed in the early 1980’s for boosting chlorine only. The proposed project will update the chlorine feed system and add an ammonia feed system to allow the Portland Water Bureau to boost disinfection with chloramines. It gives water a disinfection boost before it is pumped from Washington Park Reservoir to water tanks at higher elevations. The existing system is in poor condition and is no longer in operation. All interior mechanical components are at the end of their design life and must be replaced.
The Washington Park Hypochlorite Facility Improvements Project (Project) will replace the existing hypochlorite system to meet operation and flow conditions, add an ammonia system, upgrade the facility to meet current codes, and chlorinate the two new Washington Park Reservoir reflecting pools. These improvements will boost the chlorine residual in the drinking water to maintain minimum disinfectant residual targets throughout the distribution system. The Project will remove existing chemical feed pumps, storage tanks, and associated piping, and construct new sodium hypochlorite and ammonia systems in separate rooms. Building upgrades include replacing select doors, door hardware, and the emergency shower, and installing new ventilation, lighting, electrical, and fire sprinkler systems. This new disinfection system will be integrated into the existing system on site. This Project will be coordinated with the Washington Park Reservoir Improvement Project.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
The Project design is complete. Ordinance No. 190362 will be amended to increase funding to $1,850,000. Funding for the Project (W02108) is available in the FY 2022–23 Budget and will be requested in the FY 2023–24 Budget. The confidence level remains high for the Project and is based on the guidelines detailed in the Project Estimate Confidence Level Rating Index. The proposed legislation will not create, eliminate, or reclassify any positions now or in the future.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
The reconstructed hypochlorite facility will serve residents and businesses downtown, the Northwest Industrial district, and in the Southwest Waterfront. It will also benefit several neighborhoods in northwest and southwest Portland, including the Southwest Hills, Forest Park, Sylvan Highlands, and Arlington Heights neighborhoods. The Project will serve over 300,000 people, including five hospital complexes, over twenty schools, and sixty parks.
Passing this proposed legislation will ensure public health and economic viability in the area by improving the maintenance, operability, and water quality of the existing water system around Washington Park and on Portland’s west side. In addition, the future reflecting pools can be enjoyed by all who visit Washington Park.
Regarding construction impacts, this Project will be physically located on the southeastern edge of the Washington Park Reservoir Improvement project construction worksite, which will continue to be active through 2025. We anticipate that the public will perceive any construction impacts from this work to be related to the reservoir project and have well-established mechanisms in place to respond to inquiries.
Beginning in 2012, the Washington Park project team conducted stakeholder interviews, convened a community sounding board, regularly briefed area neighbors and business groups, met with historic advocacy groups, and communicated with the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission. Community outreach related to the hypochlorite facility will be integrated into ongoing outreach for Washington Park Reservoir, including e-newsletters, webpages, neighborhood association meetings, social media, updates to our virtual tour, and partner meetings with Explore Washington Park, Portland Parks and Recreation, and TriMet. This proposed work is outside of the Historic District and is not expected to have any adverse impacts.
There are no significant objections or concerns related to this project. The construction impacts are in keeping with ongoing impacts as part of the larger reservoir project. There will be no increased or changed ongoing impacts related to operating the facility, and the Project will not change the aesthetic for neighbors or those visiting the site.
The benefits of this project will ensure safety for those who visit the reflecting pools and will ensure the same high-quality water to customers downtown and at some of the farthest reaches of the system. The customers and neighborhoods that will benefit from this project are significant, as previously described.
We do not anticipate any groups to testify for or against this Project.
100% Renewable Goal
The proposed action will lower the City’s total energy use by reducing the maintenance required for this segment of the road. The proposed action will not affect the City’s renewable energy use.
Budget Office Financial Impact Analysis
This ordinance revises the initial bid solicitation from $1,300,000 to $1,850,000, an increase of $550,000 due to various inflationary pressures. Funding for the project is available in the bureau’s budget and the confidence of this revised solicitation is high. This adjustment will not change the forecast of water rates.
Agenda Items
105 Regular Agenda in February 1-2, 2023 Council Agenda
Passed to second reading
124 Regular Agenda in February 8, 2023 Council Agenda
Passed
- Commissioner Carmen Rubio Yea
- Commissioner Dan Ryan Yea
- Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Yea
- Commissioner Mingus Mapps Yea
- Mayor Ted Wheeler Yea