ITEM:		ACTION ITEM
15	CONSIDER PURSUING RETROFITS AT RIPPLING RIVER CENTER FOLLOWED BY RELEASE OF UNUSED GRANT FUNDING TO CITY OF MONTEREY’S FRANKLIN STREET STORMWATER PROJECT
Meeting Date:			May 18, 2020	Budgeted:	No
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/
			General Manager	Line Item No.:	4-2-3-D
Prepared By:			Stephanie Locke	Cost Estimate:	$66,000
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee considered this item on May 12, 2020, and recommended staff pursue Rippling River retrofits prior to releasing grant funds to City of Monterey.
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

SUMMARY: The District contracted with Ecology Action to undertake water saving retrofits and conservation communication in Seaside using IRWM grant funding. The project, called HEART (Highly Effective Applied Retrofit Targets), began in August 2018 and was completed in early 2019. Approximately $66,000 remains in the grant due to lack of participation in the Seaside Disadvantaged Communities (DAC).

As Ecology Action’s team is no longer available to reinstate the HEART program in other DACs, the Water Demand Committee discussed the possibility of redirecting the remaining funds to the City of Monterey’s Franklin Street storm drain project, which is also a recipient of the same IRWM grant funds. The City of Monterey requested that the remaining funds be reallocated to its $815,000 project. The City’s project was previously awarded $182,992.00 in grant funding.

In early 2018, staff received a request from a 100% subsidized housing project in Carmel Valley for assistance with retrofitting to meet the District’s multi-family dwelling water efficiency requirements. As the site was not identified as being in a DAC at the time, assistance for Rippling River was not pursued. The facility has 79 units and provides housing to elderly and disabled residents. The site needs assistance to replace most toilets and to retrofit showerheads and faucets. There is also a community laundry facility that is required to have Hight Efficiency Clothes Washers, the water pressure is required to meet efficiency requirements, and there is a well on site for irrigation that has problems. Recently, a higher scaled DAC map identified the Carmel Valley Village area as one that meets the DAC grant criteria.

Staff wants to use a portion of the remaining grant funds to contract with a plumber to retrofit toilets, showerheads and faucet aerators at Rippling River. In addition, the plumber would check for/repair leaks, test the water pressure, and install or repair a pressure regulating device, if needed, Staff anticipates that the cost of this program would be less than $40,000 ($500/unit), and will issue a Request for Proposals to obtain the least cost that meets the required criteria.

Staff discussed the Rippling River project with the grant manager, Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, and determined that the retrofit project will need to be reviewed and approved by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) before proceeding. If IRWM grant money can be used to address the needs at Rippling River, staff will pursue the project. However, if the project is not approved by DWR, or if funding remains in the grant after the Rippling River project has been completed, staff is seeking authorization to release the remaining funds to the City of Monterey’s project.

The Administrative Committee discussed this item on May 12, 2020 and recommended that the retrofits at Rippling River be pursued.

RECOMMENDATION: Assuming approval by DWR, the Board should authorize staff to contract for the project at Rippling River Center in Carmel Valley using remaining IRWM grant funding. The Board should also authorize shifting unused funds to the City of Monterey’s project.

BACKGROUND: The City of Monterey’s project scope includes the installation of a new storm drain along Franklin Street, between Alvarado and Figueroa Streets, and intersection improvements along Franklin Street to improve City storm drain facilities and prevent flooding. The storm drain is designed to intercept runoff in the downtown area which is susceptible to flooding. This DAC is one of the main employment locations for the disadvantaged community. Flooding can affect the businesses in the area which in term affects the work force. Plus, there is also the high risk of washing off pollutants that can be harmful to the environment. The project beneficiary is the public. The new storm drain pipe in Franklin Street will intercept and redirect drainage that currently discharges into the Lighthouse Tunnel Pump Station and then into Monterey Bay without treatment. Drainage will be redirected to Lake El Estero which has assimilative capacity and will eventually be used as reclamation source water.

EXHIBIT

None

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