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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: David E. Schumacher, P.E., Superintendent of Water Production
DATE: March 11, 2021
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Authorizing various laboratory water analyses from Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC for budget year 2021 for the Water Production Division.
PURPOSE:
To obtain authorization for various laboratory water analyses from Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC, South Bend, IN, (Eurofins), during the budget year 2021 totaling approximately $45,000.00.
BACKGROUND:
Since 2015, the Water Production Division (WPD) has utilized Eurofins, as a certified laboratory, to perform many different types of water analyses which are required for regulatory reporting to various state and federal agencies for raw well water, raw Fox River, and finished water. Some examples of analyses performed by Eurofins for the WPD are Volatile Organic Chemicals, Synthetic Organic Compounds, Inorganic Organic Compounds, Inorganic Metals, Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products, Endocrine Disruptors, Giardia and Cryptosporidium, Tritium, and Disinfection By-Products.
Historically, the cost of these water analysis services have fluctuated between $15,000 to $25,000 annually, and thus have not needed City Council approval previously.
DISCUSSION:
Recently, the compounds known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water have become a very discussed and researched topic in the national drinking water industry. PFAS are a group of approximately 5,000 human-made substances that have been manufactured in the United States since the 1940s for their unique oil and water-resistant properties and have been utilized for a variety of applications ranging from water and stain-proofing to firefighting. This has resulted in PFAS being released into the air, water, and soil. Some PFAS have been phased out of production due to environmental and human health concerns, yet they persist in the environment and may contaminate surface and ground waters.
In a letter dated September 11, 2020, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) notified the City of Aurora that they would be conducting sampling of drinking water of all communities within the state for PFAS compounds as part of a large statewide investigation. Accordingly, Aurora's water was sampled in November and December 2020 and in a subsequent letter dated January 19, 2021 (associated pages attached), the IEPA has officially "recommended" that the WPD conduct regular sampling of both raw source water and finished / treated water for eighteen compounds in the PFAS family.
The IEPA is utilizing the Eurofins laboratory to analyze all the statewide samples. Thus, the WPD would like to utilize the same laboratory to reduce the chance for analytical difference between laboratories. This will require approximately 36 PFAS compound water sample analyses at a total cost of approximately $22,000. This sampling was not expected in 2021.
Eurofins has a well-established and successful history of providing water sample analyses for the Water Production Division and is one of only a few laboratories to be currently certified in PFAS compound analysis at the necessary extremely low detection limits required by the IEPA.
Funds are available in the 2021 budget Account No. 510-4058-511-62-04 within the Water Utility and will be transferred into the laboratory testing Account No. 510-4058-511-61-30 once this resolution is approved to complete this state agency officially recommended and necessary testing.
The WPD is not aware of any laboratories certified in the testing analyses required that are located within the City of Aurora.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Not approving the additional funding needed for the unfunded officially recommended PFAS sampling requested by the IEPA could lead the IEPA to take additional steps to force the city of Aurora to complete the recommended testing. Collecting existing PFAS data will benefit the WPD in the future when formal drinking water regulations are imposed for PFAS compounds.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That a resolution authorizing additional funding be approved to be used for water sample analysis services by Eurofins in an estimated total amount of $45,000.00 for budget year 2021 be approved by the Mayor and City Council. It is further recommended that this matter be submitted to the Finance Committee for review and recommendation.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution Authorizing various laboratory water analyses from Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC for budget year 2021 for the Water Production Division
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the Water Production Division utilizes Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC, to complete multiple water analyses for regulatory response reporting and internal information and study; and
WHEREAS, Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC has provided the analysis services to the City with satisfactory results over an extended period of time, and
WHEREAS, the expected total quantity of water analyses in budget year 2021 is now estimated to cost approximately $45,000.00 due to official recommendations recently received in January 2021 from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency that were not expected in 2021; and
WHEREAS, budgetary authority for this purchase has been granted in the 2021 City Budget in Account No. 510-4058-511-61-30 and additional funding will be transferred from budget Account No. 510-4058-511-62-04 upon approval of this resolution;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: hereby authorizes the total water analyses performed by Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC, for budget year 2021, to be for an estimated total amount of $45,000.00 for the Water Production Division and does hereby further authorize its Purchasing Director to issue necessary orders to implement purchase of same.