Request for Proposals for Water Loss Control Program Design & Technical Services

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department (SCWD) is soliciting professional and technical services to assist with the update of its Water Loss Control Program. The focus of the scope of work is on conducting a thorough evaluation of the current regulatory environment with an emphasis on evaluating the feasibility of achieving the customized Water Loss Performance Standard by 2028 as defined by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) per CA Water Code 10608.34 and Executive Orders B-37-16 and B-40-17 and California Senate Bill (SB) 555. SB 555 establishes Annual Reporting and Water Loss Standards for water service providers.

Proposals must include the application of standardized principles and techniques as outlined in the American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 standard: Water Audits and Loss Control Programs in addition to the integration of innovative tools and approaches to leveraging new technologies and related data now available to SCWD.

The categorial and prioritized areas of focus and the related tasks shall be completed within calendar year 2026. Any work plans and related projects that require further professional and technical support may be evaluated and considered for continued, contractual support and implementation in Fiscal Year 2027 and 2028.

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department (SCWD) owns, operates and maintains a large public water system (i.e. 200+ connections) per SWRCB permit. The treated water distribution system is composed of 270 miles of water mains with approximately 25,000 service connections.

CWD produces approximately 2.6 billion gallons of water annually from local sources composed of both surface and ground water supplies.

In 2015 and in accordance with California SWRCB and AWWA M36 standards, SCWD initiated the development of a Water Loss Control Program with an emphasis on enhancing the understanding of both the quantity and types of water loss occurring in the distribution system. In coordination with consultant support, the early phases of program development were designed to enhance water auditing methodology and data collection procedures with the goal of accomplishing Level 1 Validation certification per the 2016 Water Research Foundation Guidance Manual.

The consultant supported work on Water Loss Control Program development through 2019, resulting in a robust management program including annual routine activities and work plans that collectively contribute to significant improvements in data validity of the annual water audit and achieving a high level of confidence in the reported volumes of water losses.
Since 2020, multiple new technologies have been implemented at the utility level such as the completion of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter replacement
program and the implementation of an asset-based Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Additionally, other utility improvements are in process such as a billing system software replacement and the installation of a new treated water effluent master meter.