Water Project Narrative

WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS

PF – 1: of the following scenarios, please select all that apply to your particular project and provide a detailed explanation (continued on following page).

a.  Obsolescence of an existing facility
b.  Lack of existence of a needed facility
c.  Regulatory requirements which require improvements
d. Improper maintenance
e.  Improper design of the original facility
f.   Significant or unexpected growth
g.  Potential or anticipated growth
h.  Long term strategic or capital improvement planning
i.  System failure
j.  Inherent social/economic factors
k.  Natural or manmade disaster
l.  Other

Missouri City purchases water from Clay County PWSD #4 and maintains the distribution and storage system serving the city. The topography of the City yields elevation differences that range from a high elevation of 912 down to 720. This 192 foot difference in elevation requires separating the City into pressure zones. A pressure regulator is located internally within the City’s system to help regulate the pressures between the higher and lower elevations. The pressure regulator located in the PWSD#4 meter vault, reduces the pressure before entering the city to prevent overtopping the standpipe. This reduction appears to be up to 40 psi and creates low pressures for the upper zone. The standpipe is measured to be 80 feet tall. The standpipe full would generate 34.6 psi of pressure at the base. Again the pressure regulator at the meter vault limits the pressure in the upper zone to the height of this standpipe. The lower one third of the standpipe becomes ineffective for the homes in the higher elevations of the City. This is typical for standpipes.

IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL FACILITY: The flow of water originally worked as intended, but the pressure problems started to cause inequities in the system. There are no valves to isolate a section of town to repair a leak and requires the entire town be shut down. The proposed realignment is intended to address the pressure problems and render the standpipe more useful.

LONG TERM STRATEGIC OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING: The City has been experiencing numerous breaks, failing valves, and hydrants, and they are concerned about their ability to maintain the system. The city’s main objective is to replace the failing and aging system and increase pressures in the upper zone. The preferred option will upgrade the existing distribution system, remove pressure reduction on upper zone and provide alternative direct alignment from the storage to the lower zone. This allows the upper zone to have the benefit of the existing water district pressure reduction to control the elevation of the standpipe. A recommendation of increasing some of the main line sizes from 4″ to 6″ will improve the ability to provide increased flows at the hydrants.

PF – 2: Provide a history, if applicable, of your system, including how it was originally financed.

The City of Missouri City’s original distribution and storage system was constructed in the early 1960s and is approaching 50 years old. The city provides water service to almost all areas within the corporate city limits.

The City’s sole source of water is supplied by Clay County Public Water Supply District #4 (PWSD#4); the water supply comes from the Missouri River alluvial (ground source water) located near Hwy 291 and Hwy210, east of Missouri City. Missouri City has always purchased water from the water district.

Past improvements have been financed by revenue bond issues. This is the first major system improvement proposed in Missouri City.

PF – 3: What significant changes, if applicable, have taken place that lead to the need for construction or improvement of your system?

The existing distribution system covers the area appropriately, but the city has been experiencing numerous breaks, failing valves, and inoperable hydrants and anticipates the breaks to continue to increase due to the age of the lines. The City is concerned with their ability to maintain the system. A contributing factor that needs to be addressed is the uneven water pressures experienced by our residents.

PF – 4: What threats to the health and safety of your citizens currently exists as a result of this need?

The greatest risk might come from Missouri River contamination due to the proximity to the river. When leaks occur, exposure of this kind is possible. The Fishing River Fire District serving the Missouri City community also serves a large rural area and will travel up to five miles to draw water from a hydrant in Missouri City to transport to a fire elsewhere in the Fire District.

PF – 5: Describe any environmental concerns that exist as a result of your need.

The upper zone contains approximately 20% of the customers and experiences low water pressures, typically in a range between 22-29 psi. DNR’s current minimum standard for water pressure is 20 psi, but there have been conversations about increasing this minimum standard, which would impact our situation.

A NEPA review will be performed following grant award and while a determination has not been made yet, we are not aware of a glaring environmental concern that exists as a result of this need.

PF – 6: Describe any property damage that exists as a result of the need.

There is no specific property damage that occurs as a result of the need to improve the water storage and distribution system. Damage to streets is a reoccurring problem due to the frequency of water line breaks.

PF – 7: Describe the financial management system established for the water or wastewater utility:

a. Is there a separate fund established? – YES
b. Are revenues and expenses tracked? -YES

The accounts of the City are organized on the basis of funds and account groups, each of which is considered a separate accounting entity with self-balancing accounts that comprise its assets, liabilities, fund equity, revenues collected and expenditures or expenses paid. The General Fund services consist of general government, street maintenance and improvements, parks, animal control, police officer training, police vehicle replacement and activities related to Economic Development. The City’s individual enterprise funds consist of Water. The water department administers a utility billing and collection system using billing software.

c. How are delinquent accounts handled?

Delinquent accounts are handled as stipulated in the rate ordinance. Late payment carries monetary penalties, and termination of water service for nonpayment of water bill. The water meter deposit can also be applied to final water bills, and landlords are responsible for bills left by tenants.

d. Is the system subsidized at all by other utility funds or general revenue fund? – NO

PF – 8: Do you have a licensed operator?

The City of Missouri City utility staff includes two contractual licensed operators including one of each “A-1”, and “DSIII” licenses.

PF – 9: Have you completed an overall system evaluation? Please explain.

In December 2009, AGC Engineers, Inc. prepared a Preliminary Engineering Report to review the City’s current water supply, storage and distribution characteristics, evaluate their condition and adequacy, and recommend potential improvements to the system to meet existing and projected water usage demands.

The report was updated in May 2012 and provided to the MWWRC Committee in consideration of funding assistance.

Alternatives considered included 1) upgrade the existing distribution system increasing the line size to 8” and 6” mains; 2) upgrade the existing distribution system, remove pressure reduction on upper zone, increase main sizes to 6” and 4” and provide alternate direct alignment to storage and lower zone; 3) upgrade the existing distribution system, remove pressure reduction on upper zone and provide alternative direct alignment from the storage to the lower zone; and 4) no action.

PF – 10: Describe the proposed project in detail.

Upgrade Missouri City distribution system, remove pressure reduction on upper zone and provide alternate direct alignment from the storage to the lower zone.

1. Water Line Replacement (13,730 LF of 6″ PVC and 7,290 LF of 4″ PVC with 6″ PVC)
2. Water Line Realignment (1,300 LF of 6″ PVC)
3. Miscellaneous Appurtenances (30 miscellaneous fittings, 12 – 6″ water valves, 13 – 4″ water valves, 2 PRV and Vault)
4. Fire Hydrant (16 Fire Hydrant assemblies, 7 end of line assembly)
5. Bore/casing 100 LF under Highway 210

Alternate – Emergency tie to Clay County PWSD #7 (870 LF of 6″ PVC water, fire hydrant assembly; 100 LF bore/casing & meter vault)

PF – 11: Please provide a detailed timeline of the project (easement acquisition, construction bidding, etc.).

PF – 12: What costs are associated with the easements?

The project budget includes $3,120 for land and rights, which should be sufficient to acquire the easements necessary for the line realignment.

PF – 13: Who is the proposed responsible party for each step of the easement process?

The City’s engineer will be responsible for the preparation of legal descriptions and project sketches for all easement documents as needed to accommodate planned improvements. The City’s attorney will be responsible to ensure legal sufficiency of the easement forms used for this project and their compliance with state law and funding agencies requirements. The city’s grant administrator will be responsible for compliance with the Uniform Relocation Act through the process used to obtain easements and acquire property. The City Council are to be the first line of contact with property owners during the process of obtaining easements and property as needed to complete the project.

PF – 14: Describe all of the dollars spent as a result of your current need.

The city experiences a high water loss of 20%, which in 2011 accounted for 1.5 million gallons of water purchased (but not resold) from the water district at $3.10/1,000 gallons, or $4,650. The City incurs repair costs to roads, sidewalks in addition to the cost of repair.

PF – 15: Describe the costs per beneficiary for the total project dollars and the costs per beneficiary for the CDBG dollars requested.

The cost of this project is projected to be $1,645,500. The calculated number of beneficiaries is 267. The cost per beneficiary for the total project is $6,162.92 and $1,872.66 for the CDBG dollars requested.

PF – 16: Describe how the system will be maintained (both financially and physically).

The City is on the SRF Fundable List for the construction financing and is seeking $500,000 in CDBG grant funds to bring the cost into an affordable range for Missouri City residents.

Total construction cost to be financed is estimated to be $1,145,500 with annual debt service and reserve/coverage of $70,000, total annual operation and maintenance of $42,100, and annualized cost to replace short lived assets of $10,870 for a total annual budget of $122,970 divided by (6,000,000 gallons) = $20.50 per 1,000 gallons.

The City will be responsible for physical maintenance of the storage facilities and distribution system to the master meters. The staffing as provided through contractual arrangement consists of a primary and backup licensed operator to share responsibilities with maintaining the distribution system.

PF – 17: Please provide specific, detailed information indicating how ready this project is to start once funding is awarded.

Funding from SRF providing 70% of the funds for this project are in place. The environmental review and construction plans and specifications will commence when grant funds are awarded. Design plan approval will be sought from MoDNR in December, 2014. The City will need to obtain up to five easements. The acquisitions can began after the environmental review is completed in November 2014. It is estimated that bids will be solicited in February – April 2015. There are no significant barriers that are anticipated to change this timeline.

PF – 18: Describe, in detail, the in-kind contribution for this project.

The Entities do not have the equipment, manpower, or expertise to provide in-kind services for any portion of the construction.

PF – 19: Are all other funding sources, involved in the project, committed? Provide documentation.

There are no contingencies in the project. All issues have been resolved. The bond election occurred in 2011 and the project was placed on the SRF Fundable List in April 2014. Funding sources include –

PF – 20: What has the community done in the past to try and solve the problem?

PF – 21: Describe the economic impact of the proposed facility to the community.

• Will the project result in increased jobs, increased private investment and/or increased local revenue stream?

• How will this project make conditions more favorable so that these increases may occur?

Safe and reliable drinking water has always been an important component in the economic health of a community. Missouri City is a residential community that wants to remain viable, their goal is not to create jobs or locate industries. They want to maintain property values and protect current investments, and remain a viable community for families.