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CONTRACT NO. K-1213-80: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY AND SORCE, INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $84,000 TO PROVIDE WASTEWATER SLUDGE REDUCTION SERVICES
ACTION NEEDED: Acting as the Norman Utilities Authority, motion to approve or reject Contract No. K-1213-80 with Sorce, Inc., in the amount of $84,000; and, if accepted, authorize the execution thereof.
ACTION TAKEN: _______________________________________________
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BACKGROUND: In 2000, the Norman Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), formerly the Norman Wastewater Treatment Plant, completed a new activated sludge treatment process to meet effluent discharge requirements as set forth by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ). The new process greatly reduced the quantity of pollutants discharged to the Canadian River while increasing the quantity of sludge (or biosolids) to be handled and processed at the WRF.
Since that time, the WRF staff has worked diligently to find cost effective means to dispose of the increased sludge volume. Initially, two tanker trucks hauled liquid sludge (about 1.5% solids) to land application sites. However, during inclement weather, liquid sludge hauling could not keep pace with sludge generation and excess sludge had to be stored in the storm holding ponds. These ponds are typically utilized for temporary storage of excess wastewater flow resulting from rainfall events.
In an effort to process the sludge generated, the Norman Utilities Authority (NUA) has also authorized several sludge hauling and disposal contracts with outside contractors.
On October 14, 2003, the Norman Utilities Authority (NUA) approved Contract K-0304-65 with Sorce, Inc. (Sorce) to introduce a microbial solution to aid in thickening the excess sludge stored in the storm holding ponds. The initial contract was successful in thickening the sludge and reducing the volume of sludge to be land applied by outside contractors. Since that time, six amendments to Contract K-0304-65 extended the contract. Over the term of the Sorce contract, the volume of stored sludge was reduced over 50 MG, which translates into a savings of more than $1,000,000 in sludge disposal costs.
DISCUSSION: In recent months, the WRF has experienced treatment and processing issues, which for the most part, is caused by process units still overloaded with excess solids. The solids thickening and dewatering centrifuges are not able to process the backlog of solids in the clarifiers, aeration basins and storm holding ponds. Secondary or backup centrifuges, as well as other process improvements to be constructed in the Phase II WRF Improvements are needed to process the excess solids inventory. Staff has also been evaluating other methods to expedite sludge digestion and reduce our dependence upon outside contract labor.
In order to reduce future sludge disposal costs, approval of proposed Contract K-1213-80 with Sorce, a sole source vendor, is recommended. The contract will authorize Sorce to treat solids in the storm holding ponds by introducing organisms to enhance sludge decomposition and allow staff to further decant water from (thicken) the stored sludge. Staff has seen a 50 to 60% decrease in solids to be disposed as a result their services.
The 12-month, $84,000 contract can be funded from Wastewater Biosolids account 032-5545-432.41-21, Sludge Removal, which currently has an unencumbered balance of $157.600.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the NUA approve Contract K-1213-80 with Sorce, Inc. for sludge reduction in the amount of $84,000.