Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Aurora Shields, Water Quality Manager
CC:	Dave Wagner, Director of Utilities Philip Ciesielski, Assistant Director of Utilities Beth Krishtalka, Assistant to Director Mike Lawless, Assistant Director of Utilities
Date:	1/17/2012
RE:	January 24, 2012 Agenda Item - Purchase of laboratory cabinets for Clean Laboratory at Clinton Water Treatment Plant

Please include the following item on the City Commission Agenda for consideration at the January 24, 2012 meeting:

Approval to purchase laboratory cabinets for the clean laboratory at the Clinton Water Treatment Plant.

Project Description

The Utilities Department has converted the space previously used for chlorine gas canisters at the Clinton Water Treatment Plant into a clean laboratory. A clean laboratory refers to a lab, which contains equipment with the capability of detecting extremely low levels of contaminants and other substances, such as our GC Mass Spec instrument. These very sensitive types of lab equipment require a contaminant free environment to operate correctly.

The identified space was made vacant when the plant moved to sodium hypochlorite. The additional laboratory space is needed due to changing circumstances in the water quality and the necessary treatment processes. These changes have resulted in the need for additional instrumentation and additional testing for constituents such as microcystin, geosmin, and other substances.

Last year, the department purchased the GC/MS instrument to identify these additional substances as well as other testing requirements. This instrument is currently located in the existing Clinton laboratory space. However, this instrument performs best in a clean environment, separate from other substances that may influence the results, to provide accurate results to the parts per trillion levels. The clean laboratory will provide that contaminant free environment for new and existing instruments and will be furnished with traditional laboratory cabinets.

Having the capability for in-house testing to this level allows an increased frequency of analysis and faster turnaround results. Therefore, staff can respond immediately to changing water conditions with a more targeted and precise approach to chemical usage.

Status

Utilities staff reviewed laboratory cabinet suppliers. VWR NASPO currently holds the contract with the State of Kansas. They have presented a quote for review for this project. The current quote for cabinets for the additional Clinton lab space is $31,500.

Project Funding

This project will be funded from the Department of Utilities Operations and Maintenance budget for the Clinton Water Treatment Plant as approved in the 2012 budget.

Action Requested

Staff requests City Commission approval to purchase laboratory cabinets for the clean laboratory at the Clinton Water Treatment Plant.