Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Lease Agreement with Fluence Corporation for the Pilot Testing of a Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) System for an Amount Not to Exceed $195,000
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
* Infrastructure
SUMMARY
The City of San Leandro's Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) plans to repurpose an underutilized 6.9-acre wastewater retention pond on site into a multi-benefit treatment wetland. As part of building this nature-based treatment wetland, effluent from the Plant will need to go through a nitrification system before release to the pond. The system design calls for installing 15 Membrane Aerated Bio Reactor (MABR) units. Because this is an innovative solution, the design engineers recommend procuring one unit as a pilot test to ensure it will function as expected.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement for the rental of the MABR system for up to a 12-month pilot testing period. This will allow the City to test the product prior to purchasing. The lease agreement allows the City to terminate the agreement if the effluent produced by the system does not meet expected results. This reduces the risk for the City prior to purchasing any equipment.
BACKGROUND
The City, along with other Bay Area treatment plants, will soon be required by the State Water Resources Control Board to reduce approximately 50% of the nitrogen in water discharged to San Francisco Bay. This is necessary to prevent overgrowth of harmful algae, which can cause fish kills. This Treatment Wetland project will be the first step in accomplishing this goal and is one of the first in the Bay Area to do so using a nature-based solution that treats the water and provides additional educational and habitat benefits.
The purpose of the Treatment Wetland project is to remove nitrogen and other contaminants from approxima...
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