I. RECOMMENDATION:
Council Approval of a Task Order with Blais and Associates to Develop a Grant Application Under the Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART and Energy Efficiency Grant Program (WEEG).
II. BACKGROUND:
The BOR WaterSMART and Energy Grant program look for projects that result in quantifiable water savings, implement renewable energy components, and support broader sustainability benefits. These projects conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of renewable energy; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States.
Examples include:
- Water Conservation
- Canal Lining/Piping
- Municipal Metering
- Irrigation Flow Measurement
- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Automation (SCADA)
- Landscape Irrigation Measures (including turf removal)
- High-Efficiency Indoor Appliance and Fixtures
- Commercial Cooling Systems
Applications for this grant program are due by November 3, 2021.
III. DISCUSSION:
After reviewing the criteria and scope of projects eligible for funding, staff has discussed internally and based on need, is recommending that the City proceed with an application that has the following components:
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) – Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is an integrated system of smart meters, communications networks, and data management systems that enables two-way communication between utilities and customers.
AMI meters provide many desirable benefits such as:
- The design of the meter is more resilient to accuracy degradation
- Allow the City to collect actionable data such as usage/leak trends
- Allow citizens to monitor and become alerted to their own usage.
These functionalities work in concert to produce an overall increase in water use efficiency. To achieve this, the City would purchase the necessary meters, endpoints, and equipment required to send and receive the data as required.
This grant program requires a 50% match; however, it is staff’s approach to utilize an “in kind” methodology. This allows City staff to claim their labor costs as their matching amount. Staff does not foresee meeting this amount to be an issue, as it will require: Public Works staff time to install the meter, Utility Billing staff time to input new meter information, and support staff time to develop messaging to garner a high end-user rate of the “Eye on Water” application. No in-depth analysis has been conducted to ensure this, but should subsequent information reveal that “in kind” matching is inadequate, an item will be brought directly to council for consideration and use of Water Enterprise Funds.
IV. ALTERNATIVES:
Do not direct staff to proceed with the grant application - staff does not recommend.
V. FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of the grant development by Blais and Associated is a not to exceed amount of $10,015.00. Grant writing services are budgeted in the FY22 budget to cover this cost from the water enterprise fund (Fund 501-503-88130 and 501-508-88130) . |