ARCADIS has assessed the condition of the Concessioned System by performing a Condition Assessment. For the purposes of this Report, “Condition Assessment”
means a limited visual inspection of major components of the Concessioned System over a period of four days in May 2013, reviewing pertinent and available City records, and interviewing key City staff. The purpose of the Condition Assessment was to identify the overall condition of the facilities to determine if they have been operated and maintained in a manner to achieve their intended function and to determine if LCA’s projected capital improvement budgets are aligned with identified needs. Site visits performed as part of the Condition Assessment included only visual observation of facilities and did not include any engineering analysis of the original designs, surveying, sampling or testing of equipment or water quality, or inspection of retaining walls or tank internals.
For buried infrastructure (i.e. water distribution pipes and sewage collection system), no field investigations were performed; the Condition Assessment was based on certain performance indicators (i.e. occurrence rate of leaks and overflows) and rates of piping replacement.
Section 5.01 Water Supply
Little Lehigh Creek Intake and Raw Water Pumps
The Little Lehigh Creek Intake and Raw Water Pumps at the Water Filtration Plant are in good physical condition. Based on the Condition Assessment, the structures and equipment appear to be sound and well maintained although some components are showing signs of wear. They are delivering raw water with little or no performance deterioration. Components in moderate condition, which are functionally sound and acceptable but require renewal or replacement within the next 10 years, include:
Intake Fine Screens
Intake Structure
The raw water (low lift) pumps were rehabilitated in 1997. These pumps should be scheduled for rehabilitation in 2017 and again in 2037.
LCA has included these projects in its financial model.
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
The City performs routine sampling of Little Lehigh Creek and has not been required to implement additional treatment for microbial pathogens. The City has not had to curtail water usage from the Little Lehigh Creek in order to comply with minimum stream flow requirements since the 1950’s.51 The City does reduce water usage from the Little Lehigh Creek routinely when increased flow causes high raw water turbidity (>50 NTU). The City relies on its other supplies and its substantial distribution storage during these occurrences.
Lehigh River Intake and Raw Water Pumps
The Lehigh River intake and raw water pumps show some signs of wear but appear to be sound and well maintained. They are delivering raw water with little or no performance deterioration. Only minor renewal or rehabilitation may be needed in the near term.
The raw water pumps were installed in 1985. Historically, these pumps have been typically operated less than 40 hours per year which means that their service lives will be extended many years provided parts remain available. If the usage of these pumps remains low, they may not require major rehabilitation within the life of the Bonds.
Information was not available regarding the prior inspections or condition of the raw water force main from the intake to the Water Filtration Plant. The main was installed in 1985. If regularly inspected and maintained, its service life would ordinarily be expected to extend beyond the life of the Bonds.
The City performs routine sampling of the Lehigh River and has not been required to implement additional treatment for microbial pathogens. The City utilizes the Lehigh River when its Little Lehigh Creek supply is unavailable.
Crystal Spring
Crystal Spring is located in Fountain Park adjacent to the Water Filtration Plant. Water from the spring is piped by gravity to the Water Filtration Plant. At the Water Filtration Plant, fluoride and sodium hypochlorite (disinfection) are added but the water can be pumped directly into the distribution system without blending with water from the plant.
51 Information provided by the City
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
Its structural components are not readily inspected. ARCADIS did not inspect Crystal Spring and offers no opinion on its condition. Its mechanical and electrical components are addressed as part of the Water Filtration Plant. The City has installed baffles in the clear well at the Water Filtration Plant to provide the 4-log treatment of viruses on water from the spring that is a prerequisite to reduced source water monitoring under the EPA Groundwater Rule.
Schantz Spring
Based on the Condition Assessment, the storage reservoir, valve vault and treatment buildings at Schantz Spring appear to be functionally sound and show normal signs of wear typical of these type of facilities. Components in moderate condition, which appear functionally sound, but are anticipated to require renewal or replacement within the next 5 years, include:
Storage reservoir coating52
Valve vault piping coating
Gutter on the exterior of the treatment building53
Budgetary estimates of the cost of these improvements are included in LCA’s financial model.
The reservoir was installed in 1954. It is approaching the end of its nominal service life and will require inspections at five year intervals and increased maintenance to function adequately through the life of the Bonds.
The disinfection system was installed within the past decade. The equipment comprising the treatment system will approach the end of its nominal service life within the life of the Bonds and require replacement or increased maintenance.
ARCADIS did not inspect the Schantz Spring collection vault, which is located across the street from the reservoir, valve vault and treatment buildings. However subsidence
52 Mumford-Bjorkman Associates, Inc., ROV Evaluations, Ten(10) Water Storage Tanks Located in the City of Allentown, PA, November 2012
53 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Water Supply Inspection Report, July 2012
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
has been reported in the vicinity of one of the collection vault vent pipes.54 Repairs if necessary could likely be funded within the capital budget included in LCA’s financial model. The vault is at or beyond its nominal service life and will require increased maintenance to function adequately through the life of the Bonds.
The City commissioned a study to locate leaks along the transmission main (installed in 1903) from the spring to the Water Filtration Plant.55 Several leaks were found at joints. LCA’s financial model includes the City’s CIP budget for replacing 2,000 linear feet of the main from Schribers’s Bridge to the Water Filtration Plant. The remaining 23,000 LF of the pipe will be beyond its nominal service life and may require increased maintenance or replacement to function adequately throughout the life of the Bonds.
LCA has budgeted for periodic replacement of portions of the transmission main.
The City is planning to install a chlorine booster station (to be funded by the City as noted in Section 4.01) to improve the chlorine residual in the transmission line.
Additional treatment would be required if the spring is found to be under the influence of surface water. LCA’s financial model includes the City’s budget for the CIP project to add filters to the Water Filtration Plant to allow flow from Schantz Spring to be treated at the Water Filtration Plant.
Overall Supply
The City may withdraw up to 39 mgd from its water supply sources.56 The combined safe yield of all its sources is reported to be 157 mgd.57 ARCADIS has not made an independent determination of the safe yields of the water supply sources. LCA’s projected annual average demand in 2062 for the Concessioned System is 23 mgd and the estimated peak month demand in 2062 for the Concessioned System is 30.5 mgd. If the factors that affect the yield of the raw water sources (including but not limited to current precipitation rates and volumes, aquifer recharge, land use and runoff, and the extraction rates of existing users of the raw water sources) remain constant, and given projected growth demands provided by LCA, the Concessioned System is expected to have adequate available raw water supply to satisfy annual
54 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Water Supply Inspection report, July 2012
55 Schantz Spring – Leak Detection.pdf, provided by City
56 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Permit No. WA 39-204D, March 2008
57 Drought Contingency Plan November 2002, provided by City
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
average demand and peak month demand over the life of the Bonds. Should future demands increase more than LCA’s projections or spring sources become unavailable or require filtration, filtered water demands may exceed the capacity of the Water Filtration Plant and require Major Capital Improvements to increase its capacity. See Section 4.01(e) for a discussion on the planned addition of filters to the Water Filtration Plant.
Section 5.02 Water Treatment
Based on the Condition Assessment, the Water Filtration Plant appears to be in good physical condition. The structures and equipment appear to be sound and well maintained although some components are showing signs of wear typical of these types of facilities. They are serving their intended function with little or no performance deterioration. Components in moderate condition, which appear functionally sound, but are anticipated to require renewal or replacement within the next 5 years, include:
Filter Gallery
Filter Wash Water Storage Tank exterior coating and piping.58
Residuals Pump Station
Paint coating failure and rusting were noted on piping, equipment and structures in the filter gallery.59
The filter wash water storage tank was installed in 1954. It is approaching the end of its nominal service life. In addition to the noted rehabilitation need, it will require inspections at five year intervals and increased maintenance to function adequately through the life of the Bonds.
Structural corrosion was noted on the roof of the residuals pump station.
The Water Filtration Plant will require improvements in the future to address aging components. The filters are beyond their nominal service lives and will require increased maintenance to function adequately through the life of the Bonds. In 2008,
58 Mumford-Bjorkman Associates, Inc., ROV Evaluations, Ten(10) Water Storage Tanks Located in the City of Allentown, PA, November 2012
59 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Water Supply Inspection report, July 2012
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
the anthracite layers of all eight dual media filters at the Water Filtration Plant were replaced. Sand was also added on all filters that required additional depth to regain design values. This replacement is not expected again until 2023 at the earliest.60 The high lift pumps were rehabilitated in 1997. These pumps should be scheduled for rehabilitation in 2017 and again in 2037. Most of the structures are 60 years old at present and will require increased maintenance to function adequately through the life of the Bonds.
The current performance of the Water Filtration Plant demonstrates that it can meet current water quality standards based on regulated parameters reported to PADEP.
The City has been distinguished as one of the top performing water filtration facilities in the state, winning the Area Wide Optimization Award for the 5th year in a row and has had no Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations since 2008. The Water Filtration Plant has also been a Partnership for Safe Water Phase III plant in good standing for five (5) years, meaning the plant has met the water quality management aspects pertaining to particulate removal and disinfection.61 It received a “Commendable” Filter Plant Performance Evaluation from PADEP in 2011, meaning that PADEP staff identified only minor operational, equipment and/or performance problems that affect the plant’s ability to maintain optimized performance. Plant personnel have already taken steps to improve filter plant performance and maintain the long-term reliability of the Water Filtration Plant.
The Water Filtration Plant has electrical feeders from two separate PP&L substation grids and a history of electrical stability, except for two severe storms occurring during the last two hurricane seasons. A need may exist to consider addressing power issues at the Water Filtration Plant by installing emergency generation equipment.
The Water Filtration Plant surface water source pretreatment, filtration, disinfection, clear well and high service pumping stations currently operate at less than 35 percent of their nominal capacities even during peak water demand periods, whereas the springs operate at as much as 80 percent of their nominal capacities. Increasing demands for service will have a greater impact on the surface water treatment processes than the groundwater processes. Components that may require improvements include:
60 Program Development Activity Log (2008) provided by City
61 Primary Lehigh County Concerns, provided by Lehigh County Authority
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
Pretreatment coagulation chemical selection
Filtration backwash capacity
Disinfection contact time
Instrumentation
City staff contend that the pretreatment process improvements made in 1998 have not achieved expectations62 perhaps because the recommendation made at that time regarding the choice of a coagulant chemical was never implemented. PADEP has cited the need to resolve the choice of a coagulant chemical.63 The performance of the Water Filtration Plant will need to be monitored as demands for filtered water increase over time and the timing and scope of the planned Water Filtration Plant capital improvements project will need to be refined.
PADEP noted potential limitations on being able to clean the existing filters during backwash64 which would be exacerbated by increased loading.
PADEP noted that under the worst operating conditions (pH of 8.0 S.U., water temperature of 0.5 C and a peak flow of 30 mgd) disinfection contact time is the capacity limiting process because of the plant’s relatively small treated water clear well.64 Modification of the existing clear well may be a potential solution to improve contact time.
PADEP noted that upgraded instrumentation at the Water Filtration Plant could facilitate operator response at higher loadings.64
LCA has included in its financial model estimated capital budgets to address all of the above listed short-term needs for the Water Filtration Plant, except for the addition of backup power to the Water Filtration Plant. As discussed in Section 4.01(e), because the City has indicated that the scope and cost estimate for the project to add filters to the Water Filtration Plant is preliminary in nature, the actual costs for this project may vary from that forecasted.
62 Project 1275, City of Allentown 2013 to 2017 Capital Improvements Program
63 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Water Supply Inspection Report, July 2012
64 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Filter Plant Performance Evaluation, 2011
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
Section 5.03 Water Storage and Distribution
(a) Distribution System Water Quality
Disinfection By-Product Monitoring and Control
The City presently maintains control of Disinfection By-Products (DBP) using a PADEP-approved protocol of monitoring levels of DBPs at critical points in the distribution system. In 2012, the City met all requirements of the DBP Rule. The average concentration of Haloacetic Acids was 17.9 ppb (range of 4.4 – 26.6 ppb) where the maximum contaminant level (MCL) is 60 ppb. Similarly, Trihalomethanes were detected at an average of 42.5 ppb (range of 10.9 – 66.3 ppb) which is below the MCL of 80 ppb.65
Corrosion Monitoring and Control
Corrosion control is maintained using a PADEP-approved protocol, which utilizes the natural hardness and alkalinity of the water for corrosion control and monitoring of corrosion-related indicator parameter such as pH, alkalinity, conductivity, phosphates, silicates, calcium, metals, etc. in the distribution system. Under the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) enacted in 1991, the City has attained a Reduced Monitoring status due to its low levels of pipe corrosion in the water distribution system and therefore is not required to add a corrosion inhibitor such as orthophosphate to the water. As shown in Table V-A, of 50 samples collected in 2010 (last time samples were required), both lead and copper tested well below the action level.66
Table V-A: Lead and Copper Testing
Action Level (mg/L) 90th Percentile Results (mg/L)
Lead 0.015 0.0088
Copper 1.3 0.265
65 City of Allentown Drinking Water Quality Report 2012
66 Lead Copper Rule Presentation, provided by City
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
According to the City, it receives in the range of 10 to 15 taste and odor complaints per year, mostly attributed to water originating from the Lehigh River.
(b) Water Mains
The water distribution mains currently deliver potable water to the Concessioned System’s customers. The City has identified 62 miles of spun cast iron pipes (19% of the pipes) that are the most problematic with regard to breaks and has prioritized them for replacement with ductile iron pipe. Although other factors will need to be considered (e.g. coordination with paving and other utility projects, addressing pipes with known leaks, etc.), the spun cast iron pipes should be prioritized for replacement as part of LCA’s pipe replacement program.
Between 2008 and 2011, the City’s annual rate of water main replacement was approximately 4,300 LF (less than 0.3% of the Concessioned System). The City’s recent rate of pipe renewal/replacement is not anticipated to be sustainable in the long-term as the pipes continue to age and deteriorate. LCA is budgeting for the replacement or rehabilitation of 0.75% of the water mains annually beginning in 2018, which would result in complete replacement of the pipes in 133 years. This is an increase over the City’s recent rate of pipe replacement, but is still on the low end of industry standards for the rate of pipe renewal. Furthermore, more than 200 miles of water mains will reach the end of their average life expectancy over the life of the Bonds.67 As LCA monitors the frequency of leaks and water main breaks over the Term, LCA may need to accelerate its planned rate of water main replacement.
Table V-B shows the City’s unaccounted for water over the past five years. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission considers unaccounted for water greater than 20% to be excessive.68
67Dawn of the Replacement Era, Reinvesting in Drinking Water Infrastructure, May 2001, American Water
Works Association 6852 Pa. Code §65.20(4)
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
Table V-B: Unaccounted for Water69
Year Unaccounted for Water (GPD)
Total Water Produced (GPD)
Percentage Unaccounted
Water
2008 4,911,551 14,773,294 33%
2009 3,418,425 14,220,900 24%
2010 4,556,659 14,753,734 31%
2011 4,185,560 16,242,258 26%
2012 4,024,491 15,858,093 25%
AVG 4,219,337 15,169,656 28%
Unaccounted for water is defined as follows:
Unaccounted for Water = (volume produced – volume billed – volume unbilled but authorized)
volume produced
Sources of unaccounted for water include:
1. Aging customer meters that may under-register consumption.
2. Metering deficiencies at plants, springs and at the point of delivery.
3. Use of meter reading estimates and misreads.
4. Water main breaks.
5. Leakage in water mains.
6. Storage tank overflows and leaks.
7. Hydrant use for firefighting and other authorized, but unmetered uses.
8. Theft of water (from hydrants or unauthorized connections to system).
69 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Watershed Management Primary Facility Report for ALLENTOWN MUNI WATERWORKS
Independent Engineer’s Report for the Allentown Water and Sewer Utility System Concession
If the amount of unaccounted for water can be reduced, it will either increase revenue due to an increase in volume of water sold or reduce O&M expenses as less water will
If the amount of unaccounted for water can be reduced, it will either increase revenue due to an increase in volume of water sold or reduce O&M expenses as less water will