By Jim Reece - The Ione City Council approved a 3-year contract for monitoring wells for its sewage reservoir system. The contract, with Condor Earth Technologies, is for 126,000 dollars for three years, with the option to renew the contract twice, at the same rate, for 1-year extensions on the contract with each renewal. City Manager Kim Kerr recommended Condor, saying that the company has already done contract well monitoring for the city, is familiar with the location of the wells and knows the city’s wastewater system. Kerr said one bid was lower than Condor’s, by 30,000 dollars, but the savings and the company’s familiarity with the system were bonuses. She said the city also knew of Condor’s capabilities. Kerr recommended “locking in the rates for five years” by signing the contract with Condor. The wells monitor groundwater around the city’s seven storage ponds in its wastewater system and help with meeting California Environmental Quality Act requirements toward lifting a 1995 Cease and Desist order from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, after sewage was found seeping into the ground water around the city’s seven ponds. Councilman Skip Schaufel asked if the monitoring wells were in the correct location. Kerr said she “can’t say with 100 percent certainty,” noting that she is “relying on the experts” – engineers, consultants and hydrologists – to tell her where to place the monitoring wells. Schaufel said “we’re spending a lot of money and God help us if it’s wrong.” Kerr said Ione is going “above and beyond what’s required here.” Councilman Lee Ard asked if the locations of wells still included the neighbor’s property. Kerr said that well had not been sampled in a year and the city can no longer place the wells there any more, but she is working with Amador Ranch Associates to place wells on their property. Dominic Atlan of Castle Oaks Golf Course asked if there was a way to combine sampling for a cost reduction. Kerr said that is a potential possibility and staff is looking into it.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008 23:57
Ione Contracts Out For Well Monitoring
By Jim Reece - The Ione City Council approved a 3-year contract for monitoring wells for its sewage reservoir system. The contract, with Condor Earth Technologies, is for 126,000 dollars for three years, with the option to renew the contract twice, at the same rate, for 1-year extensions on the contract with each renewal. City Manager Kim Kerr recommended Condor, saying that the company has already done contract well monitoring for the city, is familiar with the location of the wells and knows the city’s wastewater system. Kerr said one bid was lower than Condor’s, by 30,000 dollars, but the savings and the company’s familiarity with the system were bonuses. She said the city also knew of Condor’s capabilities. Kerr recommended “locking in the rates for five years” by signing the contract with Condor. The wells monitor groundwater around the city’s seven storage ponds in its wastewater system and help with meeting California Environmental Quality Act requirements toward lifting a 1995 Cease and Desist order from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, after sewage was found seeping into the ground water around the city’s seven ponds. Councilman Skip Schaufel asked if the monitoring wells were in the correct location. Kerr said she “can’t say with 100 percent certainty,” noting that she is “relying on the experts” – engineers, consultants and hydrologists – to tell her where to place the monitoring wells. Schaufel said “we’re spending a lot of money and God help us if it’s wrong.” Kerr said Ione is going “above and beyond what’s required here.” Councilman Lee Ard asked if the locations of wells still included the neighbor’s property. Kerr said that well had not been sampled in a year and the city can no longer place the wells there any more, but she is working with Amador Ranch Associates to place wells on their property. Dominic Atlan of Castle Oaks Golf Course asked if there was a way to combine sampling for a cost reduction. Kerr said that is a potential possibility and staff is looking into it.
