I. RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the CIty Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement with MKN & Associates (MKN) to prepare a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and Emergency Response Plan (ERP) update in compliance with America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) for the City of Coalinga.
II. BACKGROUND:
Community drinking water systems serving more than 3,300 people are required to comply with AWIA, including updating and/or developing an RRA and ERP for drinking water systems. The law specifies the components that the RRA and ERP must address and also establishes deadlines by which water systems must submit certification of the RRA and ERP to the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). For the City, serving between 3,301 and 49,999 people, the certification deadlines for
compliance are as follows:
• Risk and Resilience Assessment: June 30, 2026
• Emergency Response Plan: December 31, 2026, or 6 months after the RRA certification, whichever is earlier
III. DISCUSSION:
The RRA update will focus on changes to the water system since the 2020 AWIA cycle and City-identified deficiencies or omissions in the 2020 RRA.
MKN will develop and submit a draft RRA report to the City using the EPA Guidance Document, VSAT web tool, and information provided by the City. MKN will conduct an RRA Workshop with the City to discuss the draft RRA report and comments from the workshop will be incorporated into the final RRA report.
The purpose of the ERP is to evaluate the findings of the City’s RRA and describe strategies and resources to counteract the identified risks to the City‘s water distribution system. Based on the requirements of the AWIA, the ERP will review and address the following elements:
• Strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system
• Plans and procedures that can be implemented in the event of an emergency
• Identification of equipment that can be utilized in the event of an emergency
• Actions, procedures, and equipment which can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a threat, including:
- Alternative source water options
- Relocation of water intakes
- Construction of flood protection barriers
- Strategies that can be used to aid in the detection of a threat
- Coordinate with local emergency planning committees
Following development of the RRA Update, MKN will develop a draft update of the City’s existing ERP for delivery to and review by the City. The ERP update will include the above-described elements for AWIA compliance along with specific references to existing ERP sections not required by AWIA. Following City feedback, MKN will incorporate comments and prepare a final ERP update.
IV. ALTERNATIVES:
- Approve the City Manager to enter into an agreement with MKN to prepare reports (Recommended)
- Deny the areement (Not Recommended); remand to staff for further action.
These report are mandatory submittals that the City must complete and maintain in order to stay in compliance with America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA).
V. FISCAL IMPACT:
MKN proposes to complete this work on a fixed fee basis based on the 2026 MKN fee schedule, included as Exhibit A and to complete the Project with a budget not to exceed $34,000. Funds are available in the Water Enterprise to cover this expense and will not affect the general fund budget. |