Town of Arlington Water Board
Request For Proposals
Hydrogeology, Source (Re)Permitting, and Associated Engineering
The Arlington Water Board seeks proposals to provide for a hydrogeology, source (re)permitting, and associated engineering for the Arlington Water Department, WSID 5013.
Proposal due: 3/1/2024 at 2 pm Eastern time
Per a vote of the Arlington Water Board at its March 18, 2024 meeting, this deadline has been extended to 4/1/2024 at 2 pm Eastern time.
Proposals must be submitted to the Town Administrator by email to nick.zaiac@arlingtonvermont.org. Alternately, proposals may be placed in the drop box at the front of Arlington Town Hall, 3838 VT Route 7A Arlington VT 05250.
Questions may be submitted to nick.zaiac@arlingtonvermont.org by 2/15/2024.
Nature of the work to be done
Funding for the project is contingent upon completion of an engineering services agreement (ESA) that encompasses completion of:
- Hydraulic analysis of WL001 and preparation of renewed permitting of the source at the maximum yield that the analysis allows.
- Hydraulic analysis of WL002 including modeling of the system when the source is in use and preparation of all engineering documents necessary to allow the source to remain active.
- Engineering services as necessary to provide for ensuring safe water pressures are maintained throughout the system when WL002 is activated.
- Engineering services as outlined in a letter dated August 8, 2023 associated with identifying the level of the existing water tank that must be maintained to ensure continued safe pressures at all locations of the system.
- Preparation of construction permits for installation of a new pump and associated infrastructure in the event WL001 can permitted for a higher withdrawal rate.
Collectively, it is the intention of this Board that these efforts shall encompass all hydrogeology and engineering efforts necessary to petition the State of Vermont to remove the existing moratorium on expansion of the system. All hydraulic analysis must be in compliance with the Vermont Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division’s Draft Hydraulic Evaluations Guidance.
Funding
This project will be funded with municipal ARPA funds and is being bid in accordance with federal procurement guidelines.
Nature of the proposal
The price should be an all-inclusive proposal covering the full scope of work outlined above. Bids should break down costs into not less than two parts, those associated with hydraulic analysis and other engineering services. Proposals should include an explanation of how the firm is qualified to conduct such work, with particular focus on any source permitting work completed recently.
Timeline
The project must be completed no later than December 1, 2024. Work may start at the convenience of the company, after consulting with Town staff to schedule the work at a mutually agreeable time. The Town may permit extension of this deadline by mutual agreement supposing it does not alter the overall cost of the project.
Right to reject bids
The Town of Arlington reserves the right to reject any and all proposal received and accept any bid that, in its judgement, best serves the needs of the Town of Arlington, Vermont.
Disclaimer
Those submitting bids do so entirely at their own expense. There is no express or implied
obligation by the Town of Arlington to reimburse any entity or individual for any costs incurred in
preparing or submitting of proposals.
RFP Dated 1/9/2024
Arlington Water Board
Appendix
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Agency of Natural Resources Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division One National Life Drive – Davis 4 [phone] 802-828-1535 Montpelier, VT 05620-3521 [fax] 802-828-1541 https://dec.vermont.gov/water
To preserve, enhance, restore, and conserve Vermont’s natural resources, and protect human health, for the benefit of this and future generations.
August 3, 2023
Arlington Water Department Aldrich & Elliott
Attn: Nicholas Zaiac Attn: Jason Booth
P.O. Box 268 6 Market Place, Suite 2
Arlington, VT 05250 Essex Junction, VT 05452
Re: WSID #5013 Arlington Water Department, Hydraulic Analysis and Long Range Plan, Originally Dated May 2018
Dear Nicholas Zaiac and Jason Booth,
The Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division (Division) has received and reviewed the responses provided to the February 14, 2019 letter. The Hydraulic Analysis and Long Range Plan (Report) and responses satisfy deficiencies II.B.1.a-d outlined in the Arlington Water Department’s (Water System’s) current permit to operate (PTO). The Report also satisfies the long-standing Long Range Plan deficiency. However, the Division has the following concerns:
1. There are inaccuracies and misleading statements throughout the Report regarding Red Mountain Spring (WL002), including: a. The spring does not have a permitted yield of 70 gpm. The most recent PTO, issued in 2018, supersedes all previous PTOs. The 2018 PTO authorizes a 10 gpm source yield for Red Mountain Spring.
b. Without 4-log inactivation of viruses, the spring does not meet State and Federal water quality limits and 4-log inactivation of viruses is more robust and specific than ‘continuous disinfection’. Continuous 4-log inactivation of viruses is required per Condition IV.B in the 2018 PTO.
2. The February 2019 response from the Water System / A&E: “Section 3.1.1 states chlorination/disinfection is provided. Section 3.1.2 states that chlorination is not provided when spring is not operating.” The Water System is required to continuously disinfect. The Water System must continuously disinfect when the East Arlington Well (WL001) is in use and is required to provide 4-log inactivation of viruses when Red Mountain Spring is in use.
3. The boundary conditions used and the reasoning behind them in the hydraulic model are unclear. Unanswered questions include: a. It was not clear why the permitted Maximum Day Demand (MDD) in the current PTO was not used: permitted MDD = 331,200 gpd; versus 340,600 gpd = MDD per meter data (at the time of the original report); versus 253,000 gpd = MDD use in the hydraulic model.
Arlington Water Department (WSID #5013) Hydraulic Analysis and Long Range Plan, Dated May 2018 Page 2 of 3
b. The hydraulic model simulations relied on a peaking factor of 1.5. Without site specific information, the peaking factor used must be 2 (see Appendix A Part 2.2.2 of the Vermont Water Supply Rule (Rule)).
c. The hydraulic model notes the theoretical maximum flow available at each fire hydrant while maintaining 20 psi throughout the distribution system (Appendix H), but there is a concern that, if flow is not controlled, some hydrants can physically flow higher rates than the theoretical maximum. Consequently, the pressure in portions of the distribution system would drop below 20 psi. The Division is concerned that uncontrolled flow might occur during flushing events. The Water System will also need to identify how flushing events affect system wide pressures.
d. The hydraulic model needs to identify the “worst case scenario”; therefore, the storage tank needs to be at lowest level during modeling. The response from the Water System / A&E: “Comment added in section 4.2 that MDD was evaluated with storage tank at lowest level.” However, Section 4.2 of the report states that the MDD was evaluated with the storage tank full. The lowest water level in the storage tank that provided minimum pressures throughout the Water System appears to be the storage tank full elevation. If pressures can only be maintained when the storage tank is full, then there is zero effective storage available. The model should be run to determine the effective volume of the storage tank while maintaining adequate distribution system pressure under all conditions of flow. Forthcoming updates to the hydraulic model will require the effective volume of the storage tank be determined.
e. The Red Mountain Spring was not modeled as in-use. Per the Report, when the Red Mountain Spring is in-use, water is directed through a pressure reducing valve that lowers the system-wide hydraulic grade line by approximately 35-feet. Based on the information presented thus far, this appears to be the most hydraulic limiting scenario; however, it was not modeled.
4. Subsequent to the drafting of the Report, sanitary surveys have identified significant deficiencies, such as the inadequate treatment and monitoring capabilities at the South Road Booster Pump Station. The Water System must prioritize addressing these deficiencies. Note: Construction Permit Application C-4199-23.0 has been received and, once reviewed, the Division will contact the Water System.
5. Table 4.2 identified Old Mill Road, Buck Hill Road, and E. Arlington Road as limiting areas during fire flow demands. It appears that hydrants along E. Arlington Road and Buck Hill Road were removed (as identified in Table 4.4). Please continue to work with the Community Operations Section and the Department of Public Safety, Fire Safety Division to ensure that the applicable requirements are understood and complied with.
Forthcoming updates to the hydraulic model must bring it into compliance with the Division’s Draft Hydraulic Evaluations Guidance. In addition, the Division will require that the Water System identify the effective volume of the storage tank (i.e., what is the minimum level of water that must be maintained in the storage tank to ensure minimum pressures are maintained throughout the distribution system) and run simulations with the Red Mountain Spring and associated pressure reducing valve in-use.
Arlington Water Department (WSID #5013) Hydraulic Analysis and Long Range Plan, Dated May 2018 Page 3 of 3
Questions can be directed to Allison Murphy via email at allison.murphy@vermont.gov or phone 802-272-2449.
Sincerely,
Allison Murphy, PE
Division Engineer
C.
Town of Arlington: nick.zaiac@arlingtonvermont.org
Nicholas Zaiac, Administrative Contact VT0005013, nick.zaiac@arlingtonvermont.org
Burr B Snow, Designated Operator VT0005013, burrsnow_h2o@yahoo.com
Jason Booth, Aldrich & Elliott, jbooth@aeengineers.com
Willie Nickerson, Engineering Section Supervisor, DWGPD
Matthew Caldwell, Community System Operations Specialist, DWGPD
Amy Galford, DWSRF Project Developer, WID
WSID VT0005013
Enc: Draft Hydraulic Evaluations Guidance
2018 Permit to Operate