Department of Utilities
Reference: Water Service Line Investigation Services Award
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of City Council
Through: Michael P. Martinez - City Manager
Prepared By: Scott Olsen - Director of Utilities
Date Prepared: March 20, 2025
PURPOSE
Requesting City Council’s approval for the procurement of 25-008893 Lead and Copper Service Line (LCR) Investigation by awarding a contract to Environmental Works, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $600,000, deemed the most responsive and responsible bidder of the five (5) proposals received in response to the published solicitation, and approving the resolution giving the City Manager, or designee, authority to sign the contract. Per City Code Section 3-8-30(b): “All materials, services, and construction contracts, except as otherwise provided in this Article, with an estimated cost greater than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) shall be awarded through the formal solicitation procedure by the City Council. After due notice inviting bids, purchase orders and contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.”
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
On December 16, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), which further strengthens the protections against lead in drinking water. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment subsequently adopted the rule into Regulation 11: Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
The LCRR contains several new requirements for water systems. One of the key changes is a requirement to develop a system-wide lead service line inventory of water service lines both on the customer side (owner side) and the City side (utility side).
Lead is a natural element that has been used in a variety of industries and poses significant health concerns. Lead was once used as a material in plumbing products but has long since been banned. Lead is not found in our drinking water after treatment at the Brighton Water Treatment Facility. Risk of lead exposure comes from old plumbing, where lead in pipes, solder, fittings or fixtures may get into the drinking water under certain conditions. Currently, the inventory does not include any lead service lines. However, the service line materials of older homes must be characterized. The CPDHE has decided that there is likely no lead in service lines installed after 1959, so the focus will be homes 1959 and older and these are called “unknowns” until the inventory is complete.
The service line is the line from the water main to the home. The City owns the portion of the line up to, and including, the meter and the customer owns the portion from the meter (or curb stop in some cases) to their home. Both sides must be investigated. Since the customer owns their side, they must participate in the process.
The inventory currently shows about 1,712 unknown service lines in the City. On October 16, 2024, in conjunction with the report to CPDHE, Brighton posted an online map of our inventory. In addition, the owners and occupants of these homes or businesses were notified by November 15, 2024, that their line is unknown status.
In order to investigate the materials of the service line, a statistical representative subset of at least 317 properties was generated for visual investigation using potholing methods. A formal solicitation was posted for such services and the City received five proposals.
As you may recall, an ordinance was passed at the January 1, 2025, City Council meeting, allowing the City and their contractors access to properties in the City for water service line investigation services. The ordinance does require advanced notification to the residents and requires the City to restore the property to pre-existing conditions.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
At a future meeting of the City Council, staff recommend accepting Proposal 3, submitted by Environmental Works, Inc., as this Proposal has been deemed the most responsive and responsible of those received, based on the company’s understanding and strategy for the project, investigation the areas of concern, and offer of solutions to keep overall costs as low as possible. The company has completed this type of work before, and its pricing was determined to be fair and reasonable by the evaluation committee.
ATTACHMENT
PowerPoint Presentation