TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 12, 2018
COMMITTEE ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Mr. John P. Murray, Acting Executive Director
Title
Authority to enter into a joint funding agreement with the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey to supply and install flow monitoring and water quality instrumentation at various Elementary Schools in an amount not to exceed $51,250.00, Account 501-50000-612490
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to enter into a joint funding agreement (JFA) with the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to continue flow monitoring and water quality instrumentation at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) elementary schools, through the fall of 2019.
On May 19, 2016, the Board of Commissioners authorized the District to enter into a JFA with the USGS to purchase and install flow monitoring equipment and water quality instrumentation at CPS schools where Green Infrastructure (GI) improvements were installed under the Space to Grow partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Water Management and CPS. These projects provide a multitude of benefits from preventing stormwater from entering the combined sewer system to educating the public about the value of GI.
USGS installed instrumentation in 2016 at two schools, Grissom Elementary School (12810 S. Escanaba Avenue, Chicago) and Morrill Elementary School (6011 S. Rockwell Street, Chicago), with monitoring to occur through 2018. One of these monitoring locations is planned to be moved to evaluate a different school in 2018, and another school in 2019, while the other will remain in order to measure additional storms at the same site. The data collected is being analyzed by the USGS and the District to evaluate the performance of the GI installed at these schools. The results of this monitoring provide information that is useful in adjusting future designs and validating the effectiveness of GI at these sites.
The USGS has prepared a new JFA through September 30, 2019, for monitoring at various CPS locations. The total cost of the continued flow monitoring is $127,000.00. The District’s contribution is proposed to be $51,250.00. The USGS will contribute $40,000.00, and CPS will contribute $35,750, through a similar JFA, which is anticipated to be executed in August 2018.
Funds for the 2018 expenditures, in the amount of $29,500.00, are available in Account 501-50000-612490. Funds for the 2019 expenditures, in the amount of $21,750.00, are contingent on the approval of that year’s budget by the Board of Commissioners.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the District be authorized to enter into an agreement with the USGS and issue direct vouchers in an amount not to exceed $51,250.00.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, WSS:JK:JJY
Respectfully Submitted, Debra Shore, Chairman Committee on Stormwater Management
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for July 12, 2018