HomeMy WebLinkAbout08 EMERGENCY REPAIR OF WALNUT WELL 06-03-08AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: JUNE 3, 2008
TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/WATER SERVICES DIVISION
SUBJECT: EMERGENCY REPAIR OF WALNUT WELL
SUMMARY
Walnut Well recently experienced a mechanical failure. Detailed inspection has determined
that various parts of the well pump and shaft need to be replaced to make the well operable.
It is critical that Walnut Well be returned to service as quickly as possible to meet the
operational, emergency and fire flow requirements of the City's water service area.
Resolution No. 08-35 ratifies the Public Works Department's decision to dispense with
regular public works bidding requirements and pursue emergency repairs to Walnut Well.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council: 1) Adopt Resolution No. 08-35 by four-fifths vote of
its members declaring that the public interest and necessity demand the immediate
expenditure of public money to repair Walnut Well to safeguard life, health and property; and
2) Authorize the $63,453.60 from the Water Division's FY 2007-08 Operations Budget to
complete repairs to Walnut Well.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is an adequate fund balance in the Water Division's Operating Budget for FY
2007/2008 to cover this unexpected expense of $63,453.60. This repair expense may be
partially reimbursed to the City through the submittal of a claim to the City's insurance
carrier for mechanical equipment failure .
BACKGROUND
Walnut Well unexpectedly experienced a mechanical failure. This has required the City to
make up lost groundwater production through purchases of imported water from East
Orange County Water District at an added water cost of $454 per day. Walnut Well was
drilled in 1923 by Irvine Ranch, and was acquired by the City of Tustin in 1980. Despite its
age, its current production rate exceeds 800 gallons per minute (gpm).
The City retained a well contractor, General Pump Company, to pull the well pumping
equipment and determine what caused the mechanical failure. General Pump found that
various parts of the well pump and shaft must be replaced to make the well operable, and
extend the life of the well. The estimated cost to complete this work is $63,453.60. Due to
the significant lead time required to obtain replacement equipment, Walnut Well is projected
to be back on-line by July 18, 2008. A copy of General Pump's letter proposal dated May 6,
2008 is attached for the Council's information.
Emergency Repair of Walnut Well
Page 2
June 3, 2008
The loss of Walnut Well is of major concern for the following key reasons: (1) the loss of
water production at Walnut Well results in lower water service pressures and water supply
locally, which is significant since customer water demands are increasing with warmer
weather; (2) water production from Walnut Well is needed to offset the temporary loss of
production from Well No. 4 at the 17th Street Desalter, plus decreasing production from the
City's other older wells; and (3) possible reductions in imported water supplies if
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California implements its new drought allocation
plan. Without Walnut Well, the City's water system may not be able to adequately respond
to operational, emergency and fire flows that may be required during peak demand periods.
The adoption of Resolution No. 08-35 would authorize the Public Works Department/Water
Division to dispense public bidding requirements and enter into a contract with General
Pump to complete the repairs. Note that if the City's Purchasing Policy and Procedures are
applied to Walnut Well valuable time would be lost in bringing the well back on line,
especially with growing warm weather demands and potential emergencies.
Tim D. Serlet
Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Fred J. Adjarian
Water Service Manager
Attachment: Resolution No. 08-35
Letter of Proposal
Emergency repair at Walnut Well & Reso. 08-35
RESOLUTION NO. 08-35
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA
DECLARING THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND NECESSITY DEMANDED THE
IMMEDIATE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY TO REPAIR WALNUT WELL TO
SAFEGUARD LIFE, HEALTH, AND PROPERTY
WHEREAS, groundwater production at Walnut Well has stopped due to the mechanical
failure of the well equipment; and
WHEREAS, Walnut Well is a critical component of the City's water supply system, with a
capacity of approximately 800 gallons per minute; and
WHEREAS, the loss of production from Walnut Well has resulted in lower water service
pressures and water supply to the immediate area because customer water demands are
presently increasing with the onset of warmer weather; and
WHEREAS, without groundwater production from Walnut Well, the City's water system
may not be able to adequately respond to operational, emergency and fire flows that may be
required during peak demand periods; and
WHEREAS, the City's imported water supplies may be reduced in the event Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California implements its drought allocation plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that in accordance with Section 22050 of the
Public Contracts Code and based on the substantial evidence set forth in the agenda report,
that this emergency repair will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitations of bids
and that this action is necessary to respond to the emergency;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Works Department's decision to
complete the repair of Walnut Well without soliciting competitive bids is hereby ratified.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin
held on the 3~d day of June 2008.
Jerry Amante, Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
GENERAL PUMP COMPANY
159 N. ACACIA STREET SAN DIMAS, CA 91773
PHONE: (909) 599-9606 FAX: (909) 599-6238
WELL & PUMP SERVICE SINCE 1952 Lic. #496765
May 6, 2008
City of Tustin
Water Services Division
Public Works Department
1472 Service Road
Tustin, California 92780
Attn: Mr. Art Valenzuela, Water Treatment Supervisor
Subject: Repairs to City of Tustin's Walnut Well
Dear Art:
General Pump Company has completed the tear down and engineering inspection of your Walnut
deep well water Tube pump. Below is a summary of our findings. Additionally, please find
attached digital photos, highlighting the damage sustained by individual well parts and
equipment.
Summary of Findings:
(1) Column Pipe: The 10" column pipe is in poor condition and MUST be replaced. The
majority of the column joints were cut and most of your drop-in retainers spun in the
column pipe causing the couplings to be severely grooved. The retainers support your
line shaft at 10' spacing. The retainers keep your shaft from whipping. Your shaft turns
at 1780 rpm, but your retainers must remain trapped in the column coupling. If the
retainer begins to move, the retainer OD gets smaller due to wear and the column
coupling becomes grooved allowing the retainer to rotate faster and the line shaft will
vibrate damaging your pump.. We will install an upgraded retainer called a threaded
retainer which will help save your pipe and pump from premature failure in the future.
(2) Pump Bowl: The Gould's model 11CLC which is somewhat of a light weight bowl
assembly was found to have severely worn bowl bushings. The bowl bushings keep your
bowl shaft straight. Once the bushings wear, the bowl impellers will eventually be
damaged causing the pump to stop pumping. Some bushings were completely worn out
to a point that the bearing housings were also worn, therefore the bowl assembly will
need to be replaced.
(3) Shafting: The shafting will need to be replaced. This pump has carbon steel shafts with
stainless steel sleeves. This type of shaft is cheaper than the City of Tustin's standard
design of all 416SS shafts but in the long run cost you more. The 416 Stainless Steel [SS]
shafts can be re-used by flipping or changing bowl stick up giving these shafts a longer
life. In addition, the 416SS are approximately 30% stronger.
Mr. Art Valenzuela
City of Tustin
May 6, 2008
Page -2-
(4) Discharge Head: Your discharge head is a cast iron component that connects the motor
to the pump and appears to be in fair condition. The head couples your vertical column
assembly to the distribution piping. We will rebuild the packing box, sandblast and paint
this part.
(5) Suction/Cone Strainer: Your suction pipe and cone strainer (8") will be replaced.
Repair Cost Estimate:
General Pump is waiting on pricing on many of the Walnut Well replacement parts. However,
we know the cost of the 10-inch column pipe.
• The estimated cost to replace 245 feet of existing pipe with
new column pipe $16,653.60
• The engineering estimate to replace the bowls, retainers, suction,
416SS shafts, couplings, rebuild head, shop labor, machining,
including freight and sales tax 40,000.00
• Re-installation of column pipe, well pump plus well start-up and
inspection 8,800.00
The total engineering estimate to complete all of the repairs to the
City's Walnut Well as described above is .......................................................$63,453.60
As was discussed in detail with Bart Crowley last Friday, the availability of steel pipe in the U.S.
is getting to be a real problem. In my 25 years, I have never seen anything even close to some of
the delivery times we have been quoted on the column pipe. Not that it matters for this job, but
vertical motor deliveries for sizes 200HP and smaller have always been about a week for
standard vertical W.P.1 premium efficient motors. However, now it can take 12 weeks
depending on the order and U.S stock. The good news is we have purchased the column pipe,
which is due to arrive in the latter weeks of May.
The rest of the pump equipment should be ok to purchase later next week (once the Water
Services Division has obtained the necessary internal approvals). General Pump is tentatively
scheduled to install the repaired pump in about a month.
Please call me at (909) 599-9606, x 222 if you should have any questions.
Sincerely,
GENERAL PUMP COMPANY, INC.
Michael Bodart
Michael Bodart
Director of Engineering