HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-05-2010 - 4fORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 5, 2010
Action Agenda
Item No. ~- ' -F
SUBJECT: Services Agreement Amendment for Surface Water Quality Monitoring -Eno
River
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections- PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
Erosion Control
ATTACHMENT(S):
Services Agreement Amendment for
Surface Water Quality Monitoring -
Eno River
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ren Ivins, Erosion Control Supervisor,
245-2586
Terry Hackett, Stormwater Resource
Officer, 245-2588
PURPOSE: To consider amending the existing services agreement for surface water quality
monitoring in the Eno River subwatershed to include enterrococci, anew Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) indicator bacteria.
BACKGROUND: In March 2010 the Board of County Commisioners authorized Desper
Geoscience Consulting & Education, LLC to conduct a one year surface water quality
monitoring at seven locations within the Eno River subwatershed.
The monitoring is in support of the Town of Hillsborough's National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater permit, specifically to assist in identifying potential
illicit discharges to the Eno River and selected tributaries. The water quality monitoring also
establishes baseline water quality parameters in the watershed that will be helpful in nutrient
assessments for the pending Falls Lake Watershed rules.
This proposed services agreement amendment specifically adds an additional parameter for
analysis, known as "enterococci." Enterococci is an indicator bacteria and has recently become
the EPA's preferred indicator for surface waters rather than fecal coliform. Enterococci are a
subgroup within the fecal streptococcus group and are typically more human-specific. EPA
recommends enterococci as the best indicator of health risk for contact recreation in surface
waters. In fact, enterrococci are now used as the indicator bacteria to make decisions about
opening and closing swimming beaches in local reservoirs. Adding enterococci as a parameter
would provide additional useful data particularly when compared with the fecal coliform data,
especially to determine the possibility of illegal sewer connections, malfunctioning septic
systems and/or leaks.
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FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact to the County. The services agreement
amendment will increase the cost by $5,600 dollars.
Monies to pay for this project have already been collected from the Town of Hillsborough per
the Interlocal Agreement with the County's Erosion Control Division. These funds are noted in
the multi-year services agreement budgeted by the division and are earmarked for this purpose.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the services
agreement amendment with Desper Geoscience Consulting & Education, LLC to add analysis
for enterrococci and authorize the Manager to sign the amendment.
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CONTRACT AMENDMENT
Amendment to the contract for Surface water quality monitoring between Desper
Geoscience Consulting & Education, LLC, (hereinafter, the "Provider") and Orange
County, North Carolina a body politic and corporate of the State of North Carolina
(hereinafter, the "County") entered into on the 2nd day of March, 2010.
This amendment adds enterococci as a parameter for our Eno Surface Water Quality
Project at a117 sampling sites for $400 per sampling event/day. Service will begin on
October 5, 2010, and continue biweekly for the remaining 14 scheduled visits as provided
in the original agreement. The total amount of the additional services is $5,600.
ORANGE COUNTY:
By:
Frank W. Clifton
County Manager
PROVIDER:
By:
John S. Desper, Principle
Federal Tax ID #: