DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Homer Garcia III
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Edwards Aquifer Protection Program - Demonstration Project
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a Funding Agreement for a water quality demonstration project under the Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Program with University of Texas at San Antonio in an amount not to exceed $619,656.00 for a three (3) year term. Funding for this project is available from the 2015 Sales Tax Venue Fund included in the adopted FY 2021 - 2026 Capital Improvement Program.
This ordinance also authorizes the execution of necessary documents by the Director of Parks and Recreation.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In May 2015, voters renewed for the third time the Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, funded through a portion of a 1/8-cent sales tax in the amount of $100 million. Previous elections set the initiative at $90 million and included Edwards Aquifer protection efforts beyond Bexar County. The current voter-approved program includes $10 million dedicated for aquifer water quality projects within urbanized areas of Bexar County over the Recharge and Contributing Zones of the Edwards Aquifer. These projects have come to be known as “demonstration projects” which the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) serves as project manager. SARA created a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprised of key industry experts, City staff, and representatives from both the development and conservation communities, for the purpose of evaluating and scoring project submittals. An eligible project includes those projects that address and improve water quality in developed areas that do not meet current Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards. To date, ten (10) projects have been approved by City Council and funded. A solicitation ran from September through December 2020 and yielded six (6) demonstration project submissions. One project submitted by University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is recommended for consideration under the Research/Data category and received endorsement for recommendation to City Council by the Conservation Advisory Board in February 2021.
The UTSA demonstration project which was selected for the Research/Data category will execute a comprehensive water quality monitoring plan that assesses impacts of Best Management Practices (BMP) maintenance on sand filters, cartridge filters, and hydrodynamic separators. The primary goals of the project are: 1) to identify and assess the differences between the three BMPs in treating pollutants; 2) to identify and assess the performance differences for each BMP before and after maintenance; and 3) to perform a life cycle analysis to interpret the significance of the results of each BMP. This project will also consider how BMP functions differ in the contributing zone as compared to other zones that offer possibilities for direct recharge. UTSA’s main campus will also grant access to its BMPs for this project. If approved, the proposed three-year, $619,656.00 Funding Agreement with UTSA will commence on September 1, 2021 and terminate on August 30, 2024.
The Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Ordinance requirements for UTSA’s proposal were waived due to the lack of small, minority, and/or women businesses available to provide these goods and services.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Funding Agreement with UTSA in an amount not to exceed $619,656.00 for a water quality demonstration project for the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, a Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Sales Tax Funded Project. If approved, along with a related amendment to SARA’s Interlocal Agreement as project manager, this Funding Agreement will commit the remaining available balance of the $10 million dedicated for aquifer water quality demonstration projects.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to authorize the execution of this agreement in lieu of considering future project submissions through SARA’s solicitation process. However, this delay may result in increased costs for similar projects.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes a Funding Agreement for a water quality demonstration project under the Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Program with University of Texas at San Antonio in an amount not to exceed $619,656.00 for a three (3) year term. Funds for this project have been appropriated through Proposition 1 of the Edwards Aquifer Protection Sales Tax Fund and are included in the adopted FY 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the UTSA water quality demonstration project under the Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Venue Project.
The Contracts Disclosure Form required by the Ethics ordinance is attached.