Santa Barbara water commission backs moving Cater reservoir resiliency contract to City Council

The Santa Barbara Water Commission voted unanimously to forward staff recommendations to City Council to authorize construction of the Cater Reservoir Resiliency Project, a reconfiguration of treatment reservoirs intended to improve chlorine contact time and allow the existing clear well to be taken offline for extended maintenance.

Staff said the project will add a new chlorine contact basin (CCB) adjacent to the existing clear well, enabling bypasses in either direction so operators can maintain or repair either facility. "The proposed new CCB will allow bypass of the existing clear well," said Philip Maldonado, principal engineer, describing the hydraulics and operational flexibility the basin will provide. Maldonado said the CCB will add about 2.5 million gallons of storage while the existing clear well has an operational volume of roughly 5 million gallons, producing combined capacity in normal operations of about 7.5 million gallons.

Why it matters: staff said the clear well, built in 1962, limits the city27s ability to perform extended maintenance because only part of the reservoir can be taken out of service at any one time. Hydraulic modeling presented to the commission showed potential short-circuiting in the existing configuration under some flows; the new CCB is intended to create a longer serpentine flow path that increases effective chlorine contact time and improves treatment efficiency.

Funding and procurement: staff reported the project27s current total cost estimate is approximately $49.7 million. "Cost will be covered by a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan," Maldonado said, noting a funding agreement in place for $50 million at 1.9% interest. The loan is structured over 30 years, and staff said the lower interest reduces rate burden for customers over time.

Commissioners asked about the project's inclusion in past rate modeling. Gabrielle Cook, business manager for water resources, said the project was included in the 2025-28 rate model at a lower amount (about $40 million) and that the next rate study will capture the higher cost. "We have it all on the loan, and it's a 30-year loan," Cook said. "It's just going to increase that incremental debt service payment."

Contracting: staff said a best-value procurement and competitive negotiation process reduced the initial bid amounts (staff reported a $2.8 million reduction from the apparent winning bid). Maldonado recommended awarding construction to Garnney Pacific, retaining Miyaga Engineering Group as construction manager, keeping Corollo Engineers for construction support, and contracting Coming Group to administer the community workforce agreement. After brief discussion and no public comment, Commissioners Snyder, Young, Cooney, Vice Chair Davis and Chair Keller voted to forward the contract authorization and related amendments to Council for approval.

Next steps: the commission27s action forwards the contract authorization to City Council for final approval. Staff said construction would begin soon after council authorization and proceed over approximately two years, subject to seasonal constraints for work inside the clear well.