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HomeMy Public PortalAboutE Program Summary CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 1 of 6 The identification and prioritization of projects to be included in the Capital Improvement and Replacement Program is a multi-step process, requiring monitoring and updating to ensure that the highest priority problems within the District are addressed in a timely manner, given funding limitations. These stages include: project identification, conceptual solution, preliminary study, final design, and construction. At each step in the process, the project scope is reevaluated to verify that it continues to meet regulatory requirements and customers’ needs. The project cost is updated based on available information, and the project’s priority is assessed with the goal that the highest priority projects are funded first. Project cost estimates used in the budget preparation process and shown in the Budget Supplement are usually based on the preliminary study stage of the process. At this stage there is typically a minimal amount of detailed information available regarding geotechnical conditions, utility relocation requirements, easement requirements, and other site-specific issues that have the potential to significantly affect the project’s construction cost. Preliminary study cost estimates are intended to be within thirty percent of the design engineer’s final estimates. Individual projects may vary to a greater degree than the average, due to unanticipated site-specific conditions that impact the project cost. New projects are identified on an ongoing basis to ensure that the District is in compliance with the regulatory requirements of the United States Environmental CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 2 of 6 Protection Agency and Missouri Department of Natural Resources, to address customer stormwater or wastewater problems, remedy deficiencies identified through planning studies and hydraulic analysis of the system, and implement required collection system and wastewater treatment plant maintenance and upgrades. Upon the initial identification of regulatory issues, localized problems, or system deficiencies, a conceptual solution is developed, which includes a project scope, cost estimate, and priority ranking of the project relative to similar projects. This solution and associated cost estimate are general, based on a single site visit and a “table-top” analysis of the problem. The project may then be incorporated into the Capital Improvement and Replacement Program in a specific fiscal year, based on the availability of funds and priority of the project. Before the year in which funding of the project is anticipated, a preliminary study is performed. In this study, scope is reevaluated in greater detail to ensure that the conceptual solution is still viable, given current conditions, regulatory requirements, and updated project cost estimate and priority ranking. In performing this preliminary study, the District may make multiple site visits to inspect the problem area and estimate alignment of the sewer or channel to be constructed. Preliminary survey information may be obtained and a more detailed hydraulic analysis performed than was done at the conceptual solution level. Preliminary studies are typically performed by the Engineering Department. However, the District may use engineering consultant services to perform CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 3 of 6 preliminary studies during periods of heavy workload, or for large, complex projects such as new treatment plants, upgrades to existing treatment plants, tunnel projects, or major sewer upgrades. Upon completion of a preliminary study, the project’s priority ranking is reevaluated relative to other, similar projects. A project may be rescheduled to a later fiscal year within the Capital Improvement and Replacement Program, should its priority ranking be reduced due to increased project cost estimate or modification of its scope. The final design of a project is performed by either the District’s Engineering Department staff or via engineering consultant services. As part of the final design process, topographic and geotechnical information is collected, utility conflicts are identified, construction plans and specifications are prepared, and easement and temporary construction license plats are drafted. For projects of significant scope and impact, coordination with property owners who will benefit or who will be affected by the construction of the project is achieved at "open-line" meetings hosted by the District. For smaller projects, property owners are individually contacted during the design of the project. Many projects require that new easements be acquired to enable the project to be constructed. The time required to acquire these easements is lengthy and may result in delays in the planned construction schedule. When necessary, the District may condemn for easements in order to ensure that a project is constructed. Any required CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 4 of 6 condemnation proceedings are performed in full compliance with state and federal law. Some projects may additionally require specific permitting from other government agencies, such as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, prior to bidding. A project is advertised for public bidding a minimum of three weeks, followed by a formal bid opening. Bids are evaluated to determine the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. Appropriation and contract ordinances are submitted to the Board of Trustees for their approval. Upon ordinance passage, contracts are executed and notices to proceed are issued. In addition to wastewater and stormwater projects, the District may construct sanitary sewer sub-district projects at the request of property owners currently served by private systems or individual septic tank systems. These sub-districts are financed by the benefiting property owners, using special benefit assessments. The affected property owners initiate the projects by submitting a petition to the District, which provides design and construction management assistance. Because of the uncertainty of the viability and/or schedule of sub-district projects, they are not always listed in the Budget Supplement. Wastewater projects are funded via revenue from the wastewater user charge paid by ratepayers. The user charge also supports the sale of revenue bonds to fund the wastewater program. Fund 6660, the Sanitary Replacement Fund, is used to pay for capital wastewater work, while Fund 1101, the General Fund, is used to pay for non- CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 5 of 6 capital wastewater related work. The allocation of a given project’s costs between these two funds is an accounting function necessary to facilitate capitalization of District assets. Wastewater projects may also be funded by various Operation, Maintenance, Construction and Improvement (OMCI) funds, Construction Funds, Special Funds, or the Improvement Fund. Stormwater projects may be funded via Fund 1101, the General Fund, Construction Funds, Special Funds, the Improvement Fund, or from various Operation, Maintenance, Construction, and Improvement (OMCI) funds. These OMCI funds are established in certain areas of the District, are supported by property tax collection, and must be spent only within their specific areas of tax collection. The sections included in this Budget Supplement document are: Program Summary – summary of budget, and number and type of projects. Includes general description of the capital program and budgeting process. Wastewater Engineering Projects – summary and details on wastewater engineering consulting services and other vendor services necessary to implement the wastewater program. Wastewater Construction Projects – summary and details on wastewater construction projects and other expenses such as property rights acquisition necessary to implement the wastewater program. Wastewater Continued Projects – summary of wastewater projects continued from previous fiscal years, due to difficulties in easement acquisition, permitting process or coordination with other agencies, design revisions or status, or other special issues. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY 6 of 6 Wastewater Contingency Projects – summary and details on wastewater projects currently budgeted in the next fiscal year, but having the chance to be expedited into the current fiscal year, if scheduling or budget allow. Wastewater Program – annual alphabetical listing of wastewater projects by fund, including the type of service (task) budgeted. Project costs do not include annual inflation assumptions, which are included in the annual budget. Stormwater Engineering Projects - summary and details on stormwater engineering consulting services and other vendor services necessary to implement the stormwater program. Stormwater Construction Projects - summary and details on stormwater construction projects and other expenses such as property rights acquisition necessary to implement the stormwater program. Stormwater Continued Projects - summary of stormwater projects continued from previous fiscal years, due to difficulties in easement acquisition, permitting process or coordination with other agencies, design revisions or status, or other special issues. Stormwater Contingency Projects - summary and details on stormwater projects currently budgeted in the next fiscal year, but having the chance to be expedited into the current fiscal year, if scheduling or budget allow. Stormwater Program - annual alphabetical listing of stormwater projects by fund, including the type of service (task) budgeted. Appendix – list of projects by municipality. Please note that the detail sheets for each project in this document include location maps and quantities of work to be performed. These maps and quantities are estimates only, and final location and extent of work may vary depending on final design and/or field conditions during construction.