DATE: August 20, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: AMENDMENT 6 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH TRUSSELL TECHNOLOGIES FOR PURE WATER OCEANSIDE OPERATION OPTIMIZATION PLAN AND TRACER STUDY PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve Amendment 6 to the Professional Services Agreement with Trussell Technologies in the amount of $4,705,669, for a total contract amount of $8,102,648, for design and integration services to optimize both maintenance and operation of the infrastructure and continued support services for the Pure Water Oceanside Project; appropriate $1,100,000 from the Water Connection Fees Fund; and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the amendment.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Pure Water Oceanside is a multi-phased, multi-disciplinary indirect potable reuse (IPR) groundwater augmentation program initiated in 2016. The first phase was completed in January 2022 and included the construction of the Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF), conveyance infrastructure, injection wells, and monitoring wells. The program was designed to inject up to three million gallons per day of advanced treated water into the Mission Groundwater Basin and includes components for water treatment, conveyance, and recharge.
On April 8, 2020, the City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Trussell Technologies (Trussell) for validation and regulatory support services for the Pure Water Oceanside Project (Project). The original scope included:
(1) Preparation of an Operations and Maintenance Plan
(2) Preparation of an Operation Optimization Plan (OOP)
(3) Startup and commissioning assistance
(4) Implementation of a tracer study in the Mission Groundwater Basin
(5) Staff training for advanced water treatment certification
In July 2021, staff administratively approved a no-cost amendment with Trussell Technologies to reduce its training support scope of work and increase its startup and commissioning support by moving funds from one task to another with no change to PSA amount.
On February 23, 2022, the City Council approved Amendment 2 with Trussell Technologies, in the amount of $836,746, for additional support for the OOP, expanded regulatory reporting, facility optimization, and extended training. This included tasks reallocated from other contracts, new regulatory mandates, and creation of standard operating procedures and a process controls narrative.
On April 5, 2023, the City Council approved Amendment 3, in the amount of $1,081,789, to provide additional scope of startup and commissioning support, regulatory reporting, project management, testing, and training support, including a comprehensive Operations and Maintenance manual and extended support for the tracer study to provide long-term value for the Pure Water Oceanside Program.
On August 7, 2024, staff administratively approved Amendment 4 which was a no-cost reallocation to move funds from the delay of the groundwater tracer study activities to cover active tasks, including regulatory reporting and operations support.
On June 10, 2025, staff administratively approved Amendment 5, which was a no-cost reallocation of funds from postponed training task to cover active regulatory reporting and operations support needs.
Operational experience over the past three years has revealed opportunities to improve performance, reliability, and system integration. Certain equipment, programming, and construction elements were intentionally deferred from the original contract to meet the January 1, 2022 operational deadline required by the Metropolitan Water District’s Local Resources Program. Meeting this deadline enabled the City to qualify for a 15% bonus incentive to offset capital costs for the project.
With the AWPF now fully operational, the City is advancing to the next phase of optimization, which will complete deferred components, automate and streamline processes, and simplify operations. These efforts will reduce reliance on outside technical consultants and strengthen the City’s ability to independently operate and maintain the Pure Water Oceanside system.
In February 2025, the City issued a Request for Qualifications for a progressive design-build team to implement the next phase of system optimization. Only one submittal was received, from the original design team. Given the limited interest and Trussell Technologies’ extensive knowledge of the AWPF and role in identifying the optimization needs, staff recommends expanding Trussell’s scope to provide these services under Amendment 6.
Trussell’s scope includes the use of several specialized subconsultants, which it will manage directly as the prime consultant. This approach streamlines project delivery, simplifies coordination, and reduces administrative workload for City staff. With limited staffing and Trussell’s subject-matter expertise in the operation of the AWPF, this delivery method ensures timely progress and project continuity while maintaining quality and accountability.
Amendment 6 includes two years of AWPF operational support and regulatory reporting, continued training of advanced water treatment operators, design services for construction modifications to enhance automation and reliability, and system integration and programming.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total additional cost of the proposed Amendment 6 is $4,705,669. The Project will be charged to the Pure Water Oceanside - Phase 2 account 908142318715.5702.10600 which has a current available balance of $965,994. This amendment will cover four years, through 2029. To cover the anticipated year one cost for this agreement, staff is requesting to use reserves in the amount of $1,100,000 and appropriate to account 908142318715.5702.10600. Funding source is the Water Connection Fees Fund, unrestricted fund balance account 715.3100.0002, which has an available balance of $3.4M; therefore, sufficient funds are available. Future years will be appropriated as part of the Capital Improvement Program budget process.
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Pure Water Oceanside - Phase 2 - 908142318715.5702.10600 |
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Current Available Balance |
$ 965,994 |
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Use of Reserves 715.3100.0002 for FY 2025-26 |
1,100,000 |
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Future Appropriations through CIP Budget Process FY 2026-29 |
2,639,675 |
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Total Trussell Technologies Amendment 6 |
$ 4,705,669 |
Funding for this project comes from the Water System Expansion unrestricted fund balance (Fund 715), as well as a Federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan and various State and Federal Grants.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission approved staff’s recommendation at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 15, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Mabel Uyeda, Water Engineering Manager
Reviewed by: Michael Gossman, Assistant City Manager
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Amendment 6