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0 MEMORANDUM TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM MICHAEL E. MALONE, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT W & S RECOMMENDATIONS OF COUNCILMAN PLATA, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE DATE MAY 14, 2003 RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE: Eliminate $100,000.00 budgeted for new valves to be installed while old ones could be rebuilt at the (sic) fraction of the cost. On page four of the minutes of the Special City Council Meeting of September 19, 2002, beginning wit second pparaggrapph (attached hereto as Exhibit 1), Councilman Plata questioned the proposed expenditure of 585,0 0.lT0 in line item 10-0403-82-00-Filter beds and valves. he account was and is budgeted for an $85,000.00 expenditure and is a maintenance account, not capital. Mr. Campbell explained at the meeting in September that part of the funds in this account were to be used to replace the effluent valve CONTROLLERS (not valves) on ten valves on the filters. Mr. Campbell explained that the new rules and regulations require that all of the filters be monitored continuously for the quality of the water output. -This water quality is charted continuously and is kept as a record. Mr. Campbell explained that, if you surge the filters then the turbidity of the water will go up and will show up as a spike on our graphs. The magnitude and duration of the spike is now regulated by TCEQ, and if we have a spike of "a certain magnitude and duration, we will be subject to public notification and possible publication of a "boil water notice ". These controls were pu on there eight years ago when the plant was modified and are wearing ut. The new filter effluent controllers are more precise and' will allow the valves to be controlled more carefully, avoiding the violation of water quality standards that are newly mandated. At this time, four of the new controllers have been installed and the other effluent valve controllers have already been purchased and are awaiting installation. A large proportion of this maintenance account is budgeted for the replacement of filter media which is gradually washed out over time. I am attaching Exhibit II which lists all of the items which mi ht at one time or another have to be purchased from this MAINTENANCE account. As you wilfsee, we are budgeting a modest amount relative to the value of all items that would be purchased from this account if-you purchased them all at once. Of course, we don't expect to have to purchase them all at once, we onry budget a modest amount to take care of known maintenance and to allow for other contingencies that might occur at any time. There was never any planned expenditure for "valves" being budgeted. At this point in the fiscal year, we are projecting a total expenditure of approximately $65,000.00 of the $85,000.00 budgeted for a possible savings of $20,000.0 -0. 1 surmise that the other $15,000.00 in Councilman Plata's estimated savings by not purchasing "valves" could refer to account number 10- 0413 -82 -00 - Hydrants and Valves although only $12,000.00 is budgeted in this line item for the contingency of the need to repair or replace other valves or hydrants used at the water treatment plant. At this point, no funds have been needed. If no valves or hydrants are needed this fiscal year, fhen it is likely that these funds will not be used resulting in a savings of $12,000.00. It is possible that between these two accounts, an estimated $32,000.00 may be saved at the end of the year. It will not be possible to save the $100,000.00 projected by Councilman Plata. MEM /mm At chment: Ex, jibit I and II 4- 2IM- Memo-Mayor and Council -Plata Recommendation Three