Sulfuric Acid is used to lower pH in water discharged from Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (TMWRF) to the Truckee River and to the effluent reuse system. The lowering of pH in the effluent allows the bleach used as a disinfecting agent to be more effective, helping to maintain compliance with the disinfection limit.    The plant is expected to require approximately 1725 tons per year to treat the effluent, at an annual cost of $417,450.00.

If approved, the City of Sparks will enter into a contract with Thatcher Company of Nevada, Inc.  Companies that provide Sulfuric Acid calculate their pricing on a solution ton basis.  The contract is structured with an initial one year period with the option of renewing up to four (4) one (1) year extensions, totaling five years.

Solicitation for the Sulfuric Acid contract, under Bid #14/15-010, was advertised on December 10, 2014 in the Reno Gazette Journal and known interested vendors were alerted to the availability to the bid package via the City of Sparks internet website.  Two (2) bids were publicly opened on January 7, 2015 at 2:00 PM at Sparks City Hall.  A summary of those bids are outlined in Table 1.  The proportional cost sharing of this contract between the Cities of Reno and Sparks is shown in Attachment 1, Table 2.

1. Council could direct the Manager to provide other alternatives.

I move to approve the contract (AC-5119) with Thatcher Company of Nevada, Inc. to supply sulfuric acid to the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility at a cost of $242.00 per solution/ton.