05-22-2017 BPU RPT 11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A I= R h N h R L Y I. I F F PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum DATE: MAY 22, 2017 ITEM NO: 11 SUBJECT: WaterSMART GRANT FROM THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION APPLICATION - IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,332 FOR A WATER METER EFFICIENCY PROJECT, AND AUTHORIZE $74,333 IN FUNDING TO MATCH THE GRANT ISSUES: Approve the grant application and recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing $74,333 in funding to match a grant opportunity from the Bureau of Reclamation for a WaterSMART grant application, which would fund a water meter efficiency project. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities: 1. Approve the WaterSMART Grant Application; and 2. Recommend that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing funding of $74,333 to match a grant opportunity from the Bureau of Reclamation. BACKGROUND: The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has a WaterSMART grant program that provides up to $75,000 in a matching grant opportunity for water efficiency projects. Staff has identified an opportunity to use data analytics to detect underperforming water meters, which would qualify for this grant. The grant application is in process and requires a City Council Resolution by June 15, 2017 in order to continue. DISCUSSION - The proposed project will review about 10 years of data for Riverside Public Utilities' (RPU) 65,000 water meters. A computer program will then use advanced data analytics to determine the overall health of these meters. Normally, this kind of information would require site visits or the installation of hardware or sensors. The project will identify specific under -registering meters and quantify both volumetric water loss and associated revenue impacts, which will aid in prioritization of meter replacement. The goals are to reduce lost revenue, encourage increased water -use efficiency, and help RPU comply with SB 555 (water loss management). In addition, the future meter data management system can use the data from this project. The WaterSMART Grant requires RPU to provide a matching fund. The project is anticipated to cost $148,665: the WaterSMART Grant would cover $74,332 and RPU would match with $74,333. RPU has already received an unsolicited proposal, which provides a ceiling for project costs. Notwithstanding that proposal, if RPU succeeds in obtaining a grant, it will issue a Request for Proposals and will select a consultant via a competitive process. At that point, the selected consultant