CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH, FLORIDA
MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 6, 2009
TO: D. Mike Good, City Manager
FROM: William Brant, P.E., Director, Utilities and Engineering
SUBJECT: CAD #011/06 – Third Annual NatureScape Irrigation Service Water Savings Summary
and Approval of Five-Year Contract Renewal with Broward County
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this agenda item is to report the water savings identified for the Third Annual NatureScape Irrigation Service (NIS) program offered by Broward County and to request Commission approval to enter into a contract with Broward County for their services. If approved, funding is budgeted under the Green Initiatives Capital Improvement Project (CIP #093301).
BACKGROUND:
This report covers the first three years and the third annual Broward County’s NatureScape Irrigation Service (NIS) water savings provided to Hallandale Beach under the Interlocal Agreement of 2006 between Broward County and the City. The goals of the NatureScape program are to protect water quality and quantity while creating a wildlife habitat through appropriate landscaping practices, the prudent use of water resources, and the planting of native, non-invasive, and other drought-tolerant plants in Broward County.
Broward County’s NatureScape Irrigation Service (NIS), which is one component of the NatureScape program, provides professional (technical) evaluation of irrigation systems and recommends specific measures to improve water conservation, in line with landscaping best management practices. This county-wide water conservation program is proportionally shared among all 22 participating municipalities and targets the highest water use applications with the biggest potential for solving water irrigation problems. Contract for this service will expire after year four in 2009 and a new five-year contract will be required to extend its utilization in promoting water savings through improved irrigation systems performance.
DISCUSSION:
For the first two years of this service to Hallandale Beach, the NIS unit evaluated and provided recommendations to improve the most significant irrigation systems for the City, namely those at the City’s Government Complex, City Parks and the City Cemetery. The evaluations and irrigation system improvements provided for 16,853,538 gallons of water savings per year. For the third year program in 2008, the City of Hallandale Beach commissioned the evaluation of four water irrigation systems and follow-ups for the Venetian Park Complex (Venetian Park’s office area, Venetian Park east, Venetian Park east -west end and Venetian Park’s building 800 section) in an effort to provide water conservation for the community. These four irrigation systems evaluated provided Venetian Park with 297,024 gallons of water savings per year.
Considering cost saving calculations based on rough water production and distribution cost of $2.00 per 1,000 gallons of water, the total 17,166,162 gallons of water saved for the first three years by the NIS mobile unit are calculated at more than $34,000 annually. The cost of this service, however, was only $2,177 per year. Additional savings in electric energy cost to run pumps and/or the equipment maintenance and systems upkeep for these irrigation systems are a reality that was not evaluated.
The next five-year renewal contract period for the NatureScape Irrigation Services begins in 2010 and entails a cost of $18,256 or $3,304 for the first year with a 5% increase thereafter. As the City developed its Water Supply Facilities Work Plan in 2008, the City committed to implement a rigorous water conservation program as the primary means for meeting the water supply requirements for the next 10 years. The City’s participation in NatureScape Irrigation System irrigation improvements program has demonstrated to Broward County and the South Florida Water Management District Hallandale Beach’s committment to the water conservation effort. Funding for this program is available in the City’s Green Initiatives Capital Improvement (CIP #093301).
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Commission:
· Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Broward County for the City to continue participating in the NatureScape Mobile Irrigation Service, and;
· Authorize the City Manager to renew the contract on an annual basis, for five years, on the best interests of the City, and;
· Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents necessary to implement this program.
Reviewed:
______________________________ _____________
D. Mike Good, City Manager Date
___ Approved ___ Denied ___ Hold for Discussion
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________
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