Feb 16, 2022 Water and Wastewater Commission

[00:00:06]

OKAY.

[CALL TO ORDER]

SO WE'VE GOT WHOLE HOUSE AND IT IS NOAH POVERTY COMMUNICATION.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM A ONE

[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

IF NOT WE'LL ENTERTAIN MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR, CASTLEBERRY.

I'LL SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OH, IN WEBVR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE SHOW IN MORE YETI THEN PAN AND ALL.

HOW ABOUT COMMISSIONER MUST GO UP? OKAY.

SO WE GOT AN MSD APPROVED ON IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S MOVE TO

[B. ITEMS FOR COMMISSION’S REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL TO CITY COUNCIL]

SHE COMMISSIONERS GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY RECUSALS, AND IF WE'VE GOT TO RECUSE THOSE PRETTY STATE, THE REASON FOR YOUR RECUSAL, AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER PEN, NO QUESTIONS EVER RECUSAL ON ITEM B3.

MY EMPLOYER'S A SUB SUB-CONSULTANT ON THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THAT ITEM.

THAT'S B SURREY, RIGHT? B3.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER FISHER.

NO RECUSALS, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON B2 QUESTION.

I'LL BE TOO.

OKAY.

COMMISSION WILLIAMS, NO QUESTIONS AND NO RECUSALS, VICE CHAIR, CASTLEBERRY QUESTIONS.

NEVER CANCELS.

AND I GOT A QUESTION ON ITEM B TWO TO COMMISSIONER MICHELLE QUESTIONS ON B3.

NO RECUSALS.

NO QUESTIONS.

NO RECUSALS COMMISSIONER.

MASCARO I HAVE NO RECUSALS IF I HAVE A QUESTION ON B3.

OKAY.

SO THE CONSENT ITEMS ARE ITEM B ONE AND BEFORE AM I CORRECT CHAIR? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER MICHELLE A SECOND.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.

ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND WE GOT ABLE, OKAY, GOOD MORNING.

COMMISSIONER.

COMES UP.

SO WE GOT APPROVAL AND ADVERSITIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S

[B.2. Recommend approval for an amendment to a contract with Bermex, Inc. for continued manual meter reading services, to increase the amount by $15,427,110 and to extend the term by four years, for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $32,927,110.]

WE COMMEND APPROVAL FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A CONTRACT WITH PERMIT, INC FOR CONTINUED MANUAL METER READING SERVICES TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT BY 15 MILLION, $427,110.

AND THE TWO EXTENDED TERM BY FOUR YEARS FOR IT REVISED TOTAL COUNTRY A MONTH, NOT TO EXCEED $32,927,110.

AND THE COMMISSIONER OF ISSUE YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONED.

YEAH.

UM, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON THIS AS OUR NUMBER OF METER READS DROP.

DOES THE PRICE PER METER READ INCREASE OVER TIME? CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC OFF? OKAY.

SORRY.

ELENA FELT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT DOES INCREASE

[00:05:01]

UH, SO IS THERE EVER A RISK THAT AS WE START TO HAVE FEWER AND FEWER METERS, THE PRICE MIGHT EXCEED WHAT WE'RE PAYING NOW? LIKE, DO WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE CAP? IF WE HAVE AN UPPER LIMIT ON THE, NOT TO EXCEED, WILL IT EVER BE AS OUR METERS DROP OUR PRICE INCREASES AND WE REACH A POINT WHERE WE'RE PAYING MORE THAN TODAY? UH, YES.

THE, THE CONTRACT WILL GO TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE PAYING MORE PER METER, UM, TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THE LAST SEVERAL THOUSAND METERS.

SO, SO MAYBE 30,000 AND BELOW.

YES.

BUT WE'LL NEVER SEE A POINT WHERE LIKE, WE'LL BE DROPPED 10% OF OUR METERS OFF, BUT THEN OUR PRICE GOES UP MORE THAN 10%.

SO WE'RE PAYING MORE OVERALL.

UM, NO, I THINK THE PRICE BREAK IS LIKE 45,000 METERS AND LESS TO MAYBE ABOUT 17,000 METERS.

AND THEN LESS THAN THAT, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

I GOT A ONE CURIOUS QUESTION IS, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT'S THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT IBD, BUT AT A COUNTRY GOT FOUR EXTENSION OPTIONS.

AND MY QUESTION IS, DO WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS BECAUSE WE GOT, WE EXHAUSTED ORDER FOR EXTENSIONS AND WHY WE ARE NOT GOING OUT FOR PETE TO, TO SKEW ANOTHER, ANOTHER CONTRACT OR CONTRACTOR.

RIGHT.

SO THAT'S MY CURIOUS QUESTION.

UM, THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL BECAUSE THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF THIS CONTRACT IS TIED TO AUSTIN WATERS, AMI IMPLEMENTATION, AND THE TECHNOLOGY AROUND IT.

UM, WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM PURCHASING AND, AND, UM, LEGAL AND OTHERS TO JUST DO ANOTHER FOUR YEAR EXTENSION.

BECAUSE AGAIN, THE BULK OF THE CONTRACT IS, IS TIED TO THE, TO THE AMI ROLLOUT.

IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY RISKY IF WE HAD, UM, GONE OUT FOR AN RFP, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY META READ VENDORS AROUND ANYMORE.

I MEAN, IS ONE OF THE, THE TOP.

AND WE HAVE SUCH INTEGRATIONS WITH THE SYSTEMS WE DO PHOTO CAPTURES NOW.

UM, AND, AND ALL THAT'S ALREADY IN, IN THE AMI PROJECT PLAN.

AND SO HAVING TO GO OUT, FIND A NEW METER READER, IT REINTEGRATE ALL THOSE SYSTEMS. THIS, THIS WAS THE BEST PATH FORWARD.

AND, AND SO TH THIS CONTRACT WOULD ULTIMATELY JUST TOTALLY PHASE OUT AS WE SWITCH A HUNDRED PERCENT AMI.

SO IT'S JUST GOING TO WIDDLE DOWN.

THAT WAS OUR THOUGHT TOO, OF STAYING WITH A VENDOR THAT SUCCESSFUL.

YOU MIGHT RECALL THE VENDOR BEFORE THIS WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.

AND, UH, AND SO WE, UH, WE, WE JUST THINK THIS IS A LOW RISK WAY TO WIND DOWN, UH, HAND READING.

OKAY.

SO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE ANY QUESTION ON THAT ONE, THEY SIGN OFF ON IT.

YES.

YES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COMMISSIONER GOT ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.

YOU GOT A QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION MADE BY VICE CHAIR, CASTLEBERRY FOR APPROVAL.

SHE DID A SECOND SAY CAME BY COMMISSIONER FISHER.

OH, IN WAIVER.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND WE SEE COMMISSIONER THUMBS UP AND A POOL MSS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S MOVE

[B.3. Recommend approval to award and execute a construction contract with Matous Construction, Ltd., for the Davis and Handcox WTP Polymer Feed System (2018 Flood Resiliency Improvements) project in the amount of $8,149,830 plus a $814,983 contingency, for a total contract amount not to exceed $8,964,813. (Districts 6, 10)]

A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH MATTEUS CONTORTION LIMITED FOR THE BABIES AND HANCOCK AUDITORIUM AND PRINT FOR PONY MORE FEED SYSTEM 2018 FRAUD AND RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT IN AMOUNT OF 8 MILLION, $149,830 PER US.

A $814,983 CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL COUNTRY A MONTH, NOT TO EXCEED 8,964,813 DAUGHTERS IN THIS IN DISTRICT SIX IN THE 10.

AND I BELIEVE THE COMMISSIONER PENN WENT TO RECUSE ON IT.

AND WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER.

MICHELLE GOT A QUESTION? YES.

THANK YOU.

UH, THE COST ESTIMATE FOR CONSTRUCTION WAS A BIT LOW ON THIS ONE.

I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WERE ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS OF WORK ON THIS ONE THAT, THAT, UH, UM, WERE, WERE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE ANTICIPATED OR HIGHER RISK THAN WE MIGHT'VE

[00:10:01]

CHARLES, ARE YOU SELECTING THE BUTTON WITH THE PERSON? THERE WE GO.

CHARLES SOLARO AUSTIN WATER FACILITY ENGINEERING.

UM, WE DID RECEIVE THREE BIDS.

UM, MATUSE WAS THE LOWEST APPARENT BIDDER AT 8.3 8.2 MILLION.

WE DID HAVE TWO OTHER BIDS.

UH, FLINTCO AT 9.3 AND, UH, PEABODY CONSTRUCTION AT 9.7.

UH, WE FEEL THAT IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE BID CONSIDERING, UH, THE, UH, PEABODY CONSTRUCTION ACTUALLY HAD DONE SOME WORK ON A SIMILAR, UM, POLAR FEED UNITS AT OLRICK.

SO THEY, THEY HAD THAT ADVANTAGE, I GUESS.

SO WE'VE WE FEEL THAT WE GOT A GOOD BID WITH, UH, MATTEUS UH, NO MATTEUS HAS DONE QUITE A BIT OF OUR FACILITIES WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

UM, CHARLES, WAS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, IN THE, IN THE SCOPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT, UM, THAT WE FEEL MAYBE WAS A COST DRIVER HERE, UH, DRIVING THE COST A LITTLE BIT ABOVE WHERE WE ESTIMATED THE PROJECT.

WAS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR OR MATERIALS, UH, LONG LEAD TIMES FROM MATERIAL LONGER THAN EXPECTED? ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF? UM, UH, THE ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT WAS ABOUT 7.3 MILLION.

SO IT IS ABOUT 12% HIGHER THAN ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE.

UM, TALK TO THE ENGINEER, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST KIND OF GENERIC RESPONSE ABOUT INFLATIONARY PRICES, WORKLOAD THAT THAT WOULD ROSE THEIR PRICES UP A LITTLE BIT THERE EVALUATING IT.

WE DID NOT SEE ANY, UH, THING, UH, A SPECIFIC ITEM THAT WE FELT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, CAME IN A LOT HIGHER THAN THEM.

NOBODY ANTICIPATED.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF GENERAL OVER THE BIDS.

YEAH, FAIR ENOUGH.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE PAST YEAR OR TWO, UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO, UM, PREDICT OR ESTIMATE JOBS RIGHT NOW.

UM, IN FACT THAT WE GOT THREE BITTERS, UH, W WAS, WAS PRETTY DECENT COMPARED TO OTHER, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE BID RECENTLY.

SO ANYWAY, THANKS FOR THE INSIGHTS WAS JUST CURIOUS.

OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT CHAIR.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER QUESTION.

CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON CAN YOU SEE THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT WITH THE PERSON? IT SHOULD GO READ OKAY.

MINE'S ON.

UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING, I NOTICED THAT THAT BID IN DECEMBER, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AWARDED IN MARCH IT'S.

IS THERE ANY KIND OF LIMIT THAT THE CONTRACTORS PUT ON HOW LONG THEIR PRICES ARE GOOD FOR CHARLES? I CAN TRY TO ANSWER THAT.

UM, IF NOT, WE DO HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF CCO HERE.

THERE IS USUALLY WHEN WE BID OUT THE PROJECT IT'S PRINTED IN THERE AND USUALLY 60 DAYS IS USUALLY THE NORMAL AFTER THE AWARD OF THE, FROM CITY COUNCIL.

SOMETIMES WE ACTUALLY DO IT LONGER IF WE NEED, IF WE FEEL THERE'S A NEED, BUT I THINK THE GENERAL STANDARD LANGUAGE IS 60 DAYS, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY THAT I WOULD JUST, I WAS TALKING TO A CONTRACTOR AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE WITH, WITH NOT GETTING THE THREE BEDS.

AND I KNOW WE GOT THREE ON THIS ONE, BUT I WAS TALKING TO A CONTRACTOR THAT DOES LARGE PROJECTS.

AND HE SAID THAT THEY, HE DOESN'T BID ON CITY PROJECTS BECAUSE THE SUBS WON'T HOLD THEIR PRICES LONG ENOUGH FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO BID.

AND HE'S IN THIS TYPICALLY ARE THE MBE WB SUBCONTRACTORS.

THEY'RE THE SMALLER ONES THAT CAN'T THERE.

THEY CAN'T STAND THE VOLATILITY.

SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS ON THIS ONE, IN PARTICULAR, SINCE IT WAS SO LONG BETWEEN BID AND AWARD.

SO I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS JUST, I W WE'RE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TRY AND INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION AND THAT JUST, I THOUGHT MAYBE IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AROUND

[00:15:01]

WELL, INSTEAD OF WAITING OR SORT OF GETTING IT, RUSHED IT OUT AND THEN WAIT.

SO JUST A THOUGHT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.

YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR STUFF.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER GOT ANY MORE QUESTIONS? IF NOT WE'LL ENTERTAIN MOTION.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM B3.

MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER MUST GROW.

SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND WE SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY GOT HIS LAND UP, AND THEN WE GOT A FISHER WILLIAMS, CASTLEBERRY, MICHELLE MARIETTA, AND MUSGROVE AND COMMISSIONER PENN RECUSING ON IT.

THANK YOU.

LET'S MOVE ON

[C.1. Update from Joint Sustainability Committee]

UH, YES.

LAST MONTH'S MEETING WAS CANCELED DUE TO COVID, BUT THERE WAS A MEETING IN DECEMBER.

AND SINCE I WASN'T HERE LAST MONTH, I THOUGHT I'D GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE FROM DECEMBER.

UM, THERE WAS, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS ABOUT FLEET ELECTRIFICATION AND TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION IN, WITHIN THE CITY.

UM, BUT THE MAIN THING THAT WE DID DURING THAT MEETING WAS WE DID SOME EDITS TO THE BYLAWS FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS THAT THEY, UM, REVISE THE RULES FOR WORKING GROUPS TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF WORKING GROUPS FOR THE COMMITTEE.

AND THERE, AT LEAST AT THE LAST TIME I CHECKED WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

THERE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FORM AN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, IMPLEMENTED A WORK GROUP.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, OUTSIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ADDITION TO COMMISSION MEMBERS.

UH, AND I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE FILLED THAT WORKING GROUP YET.

SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ZACH AT THAT, IN THAT OFFICE AND LET HIM KNOW.

UM, AND IT'S A BIG ARE TO MEET TWICE A MONTH VIRTUALLY AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, STARTING, UH, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO START AT THE END OF JANUARY, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY DID.

UM, AND IT PROBABLY BE FOR THE NEXT SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW AND I CAN FIND OUT THE ANSWERS FOR YOU.

YES.

WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT? UH, WORKING GROUP IT'S CALLED? WELL, IT WAS GOING TO BE CALLED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY WORKING GROUP.

AND THAT WAS GOING TO HAVE, I THINK, UP TO 18 MEMBERS.

UM, SO THERE COULD STILL BE SOME SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPATION IF YOU WERE INTERESTED.

THAT'S ALL CHAIR, COMMISSIONER GOT ANY QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, IF NOT, THANK YOU.

[C.2. Update from the Austin Integrated Water Task Force]

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UH, WE MET, UH, LAST WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL MONTHS AND, UM, WE COVERED SEVERAL ITEMS. UM, ONE OF WHICH WAS REORGANIZING THE SUBCOMMITTEES UNDERWATER FORWARD TASKFORCE TO KIND OF SIMPLIFY THEM AND MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT IN TERMS OF HOW MANY MEETINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE, ET CETERA.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ELEMENT OF THE MEETING WAS WE HAVE VERY WELL DONE PRESENTATION BY THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS WHO ARE STUDYING THE ASR FACILITY AND THEY PRESENTED, UH, ANALYSIS OF THE BELL'S DOCK OR FIRST CONSIDER LOCATING ESR FACILITY.

AND THEY PRESENTED THEIR SPECIFIC MATRIX ANALYSIS.

AND, UH, WE HAD VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, ALL THAT, UH, THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE MEETING.

AND, UM, KNOW IF THERE'S ANYBODY FROM THE STAFF THERE? CAN I SUPPLEMENT WHAT I JUST SAID THERE? AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF THINGS I FORGOT.

YES, SIR.

WE HAVE BEEN IN IS GOING TO, UM, PROVIDE, UH, KEVIN CRUTTENDEN, AUSTIN WATER, JUST A FEW ADDITIONAL ITEMS, UM, UH,

[00:20:01]

UH, WE ALSO DID TALK ABOUT, UM, PREPARATIONS FOR OUR WATER FOR 2024.

SO, UH, WE WILL BE MOVING TO UPDATE THE FORMER WATERFORD 2018.

SO THAT PROCESS HAS BEGUN, UH, DEVELOPING INITIAL DEMOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS AND KIND OF FRAMING OUT HOW THAT PROJECT WILL WORK.

SO MORE TO COME ON THAT.

UM, AND, UM, REALLY, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF, UH, ALL OF IT.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED MARCH THE FIRST, UM, THIS LAST MEETING WAS ACTUALLY RESCHEDULED DUE TO SOME STAFF AND ABOUT UNAVAILABILITY.

SO WE'LL BE MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY TO AN UPDATE ON MARCH 1ST.

SO THAT'S ALL I'VE HAD ANY QUESTION FOR STUFF OR TO COMMISSIONER MORIARTY, IF NOT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE AND PRESENTATION.

OKAY.

[D.1. 2022 Boil Water Notice]

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, I'LL GET IT STARTED TODAY.

MY NAME IS GREG I'M DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER, AND I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME OPENING REMARKS TODAY.

SO, UH, WE, UM, HAD A BOIL WATER NOTICE THAT BEGAN, UH, LAST, UH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH.

UM, I'M SURE COMMISSIONERS ARE AWARE OF THAT.

WE COMMUNICATED INFORMATION TO YOU AND SOME Q AND A'S ALONG THE WAY.

UM, I WANNA SAY, UH, FIRST, WHENEVER WE ISSUE A BOIL WATER NOTICE, THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A HEIGHTENED RISK TO THE DRINKING WATER SYSTEM AND THAT'S JUST, UH, THAT'S JUST VERY CONCERNING TO ALL OF US.

UH, PARTICULARLY IN THIS EVENT, UNLIKE A COUPLE OTHERS, THIS WAS NOT REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A WEATHER EVENT.

THIS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, WITH, UH, OPERATIONS AT OUR ORIC PLANT.

AND WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO OPERATIONS, UH, THIS WAS PREVENTABLE AND, UH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE DIFFICULT PART OF THIS.

AND, UH, THE, THE, THE CONCERN, UH, WHEN WE EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT HURTS ALL OF US IN OUR PROFESSION.

AND I WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF AUSTIN WATER, THAT WE'RE PROFOUNDLY SORRY THAT THIS HAPPENED AND THAT THE COMMUNITY, UH, SUFFERED THROUGH THIS.

AND, UH, AND, UH, AND JUST, UH, ALL THE DISRUPTIONS AND FRUSTRATIONS AND, AND, UH, AND, AND ALL THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS THAT, THAT GO WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND, AND ALSO PROFOUNDLY, SORRY TO THE COMMISSION.

WE KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORKED WITH US ON THE URI AFTER ACTION AND, UH, AND, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, IMPLEMENTED AND FELT WELL POSITIONED FOR.

AND WHILE WE GOT THROUGH THE WINTER COLD SNAP, UH, OF THAT SAME WEEK, UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE DID HAVE A OPERATIONS, UH, BREAKDOWN THAT LED TO THIS BOIL WATER NOTICE ON, ON SATURDAY.

UM, UH, WE, UM, HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS YOU'VE GOTTEN A MEMO THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE COUNCIL.

UH, WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, MANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND WE'RE ANSWERING THOSE THAT COME AT COUNCIL HAD A WORK SESSION ON, UH, ON, UH, ON YESTERDAY.

AND THEY HAVE A, UH, AN, UH, A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW, AND WE'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS THERE.

THERE'S ALSO A COUNCIL RESOLUTION ITEM, NUMBER 62, DIRECT THE CITY AUDITOR TO PERFORM AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF AUSTIN WATER, UH, ON THIS ISSUE.

AND, UH, AND OTHERS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO HAVE EXAMINED.

SO JUST KIND OF A HEADS UP THERE, SOME, SOME ACTIVITY THERE, WE CERTAINLY WILL BE, UM, GOING THROUGH OUR OWN, UH, REVIEW, UH, AT SEVERAL LEVELS.

ONE, BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES, UH, VARIOUS, UH, LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION.

AND DECISION-MAKING, UH, UH, AT THE STAFF LEVEL, UH, WE ARE REVIEWING THIS FROM, FROM A, FROM A HUMAN RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE AND, AND WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'RE WE DOING A VERY DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE TIMELINE IN THE DATA AND THE SCADA SYSTEM AND, AND ALARMS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE THOSE AND, UH, AND OTHER AFTER ACTION ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO.

AND AS WE COMPLETE THAT WORK, UH, WE'LL BE RELEASING THAT, UH, TO YOU AND, UH, AND THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC.

UM, IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH WHEN THERE'S, UH, WHEN THERE'S PEOPLE INVOLVED, RIGHT.

THIS ISN'T JUST INTERROGATING INFRASTRUCTURE.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, EXAMINING, UH, STAFF DECISION-MAKING AND, UH, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS.

AND IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO INTERVIEW STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND OTHERS.

THERE'S CERTAIN DUE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FAIR AND COMPREHENSIVE.

UH, AS I STATED TO THE COUNCIL AND I'LL STATE TO YOU HERE TONIGHT, UH, MY, UH, REVIEW OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SOME OF THE DATA THAT THIS WAS NOT FROM A GROSS NEGLIGENCE PERSPECTIVE, THIS WASN'T STAFF THAT WERE, UM, WERE, UH, FALSIFYING NUMBERS WHO HAD LEFT THE PLANT GROUNDS, WHO HAD BEEN SLEEPING.

[00:25:02]

I THINK THIS IS REALLY JUST THE, THE TYPE OF HUMAN FRAILTIES AND RISKS THAT HAPPENED, UH, WITH, UH, PEOPLE AND COMMUNICATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS AND JUDGEMENTS.

AND, UH, AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE JUDGEMENTS AND ASSUMPTIONS, UH, IN, IN OPERATIONS LIKE THIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXAMINING IS, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID THAT GO WRONG? AND, AND HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE, UH, THOSE, THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES? UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF, UM, SPECULATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONERS HAVE PAID ATTENTION, BUT THERE'S BEEN RADIO CALLERS TO VARIOUS RADIO SHOWS, UH, PURPORTING TO BE AUSTIN WATER EMPLOYEES AND GETTING VARIOUS THEORIES OF WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, WHERE WERE THEY TRYING TO USE THE FACTS, THE SCADA SYSTEM, THE, THE DATA, THE BENCH LOGS, OUR INTERVIEWS TO DRIVE THIS PROCESS, UM, AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DWELL ON SPECULATION OR GOSSIP, BUT I WILL ADDRESS THE ONE ISSUE.

THERE WAS A CALLER, UH, TO, UH, ONE OF THE RADIO STATIONS, UH, NAMED LAWRENCE THAT REPORTED THAT THEY WERE, WERE ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN THE SHIFT THAT, THAT, UH, WAS, UH, PRIMARILY, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT.

AND THEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS FROM A FAILED FILTER VALVES, UH, THAT HAD FAILED, UH, AT, UH, AT THE PLANT AS A RESULT OF THE FREEZE.

AND I WANT TO SAY AGAIN THAT, UH, MY REVIEW, MY QUESTIONING OF ALL THE KEY STAFF THAT, UH, UH, WERE AT THE PLANT, UH, AND, UH, AND ALSO MANAGE THE PLANT AND, UH, AND LEAD OPERATIONS THAT WE HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF, OF VALVE FAILURES FROM FREEZING.

CERTAINLY WE WERE MANAGING A FREEZE EVENT, UH, JUST BEFORE THIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE MORE INTENSE ON OPERATIONS, BUT THIS WAS NOT, AGAIN, NO EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, THAT, THAT SHOWS THIS WAS A FAILED INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE THAT THIS REALLY ALL ORIGINATED, UH, THE ROOT CAUSE WAS THE STARTUP OF A BASIN BASED IN SIX.

UH, AND, UH, AND HOW WE, UH, HOW WE STARTED AT BASIN UP.

AND THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THE SEEDING PROCESS.

AND RICK WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE ELABORATION ON, ON THIS FOR YOU.

UH, BUT, BUT HOW, HOW THAT SEEDING PROCESS REALLY, UH, RAN OUT OF CONTROLLED ON US, UH, ULTIMATELY SPILLED INTO THE FILTERS AND, UH, AND, AND THEN ON, INTO FINISH WATER AND, UH, AND PUMPING.

AND, UH, AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE HEART OF WHAT WE'RE EXAMINING IS, IS THAT, THAT PROCESS WITH BASE AND SIX AND, AND ON, AND, UM, AND, UH, AND, AND WITH THAT, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOU TONIGHT, TOO, BUT I THOUGHT MAYBE RICK, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, UH, ON KIND OF THAT PROCESS SIDE.

SURE.

THANK YOU.

UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A SLIDER TOO, UM, AFTER THIS, BUT I'M RICK CORNETTO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS.

UH, AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS KINDA TOUCHES, UH, VERY MUCH HOME OF BEING HIRED, UM, BACK IN 1995.

AND THIS WAS THE FIRST PLANT THAT I HAD, UM, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH THIS WAS KIND OF, UH, THE, THE SETTING OF, OF INTERNSHIP, UH, BACK IN 95, WHERE I WAS, UH, ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, UM, CLARIFIER OPERATIONS LOOK LIKE.

UH, WE EVEN PERFORM TESTS ON THE CLARIFIERS AND HOW IT OPERATES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR SOLIDS HANDLING.

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT VISITED THE PLANT AND UNDERSTAND ITS OPERATIONS, IT HAS, UH, SEVEN CLARIFIERS, UH, THAT KIND OF ACT AS A REACTORS.

THERE ARE SEVEN CLARIFIERS THROUGHOUT THE PLANT.

UM, IN PARTICULAR, THE ONE, UH, NUMBER SIX WAS THE ONE THAT, UH, HAD BEEN PUT ONLINE, UM, AND STARTED THE SEEDING PROCESS.

SO THE SEEDING PROCESS IS TO BUILD SOLIDS INTO THE CLARIFIER, AND THIS IS JUST A DEPICTION OF WHAT A CLARIFIER EMPTY LOOKS LIKE.

THE CENTER IS THE MIXING WELL, AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE CONTROL POINTS THAT WE USE TO DETERMINE PROCESS CONTROL, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE FEEDING THE CORRECT CHEMICAL DOSES IS, UH, YOU HAVE PH THAT YOU MONITOR, UH, YOU PULL A SAMPLE AND YOU GET A GRAB SAMPLE TO, TO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE, UH, SOLIDS BY VOLUME, WHICH IS IN A CERTAIN RANGE OF FIVE TO 10 RANGE.

UH, YOU HAVE, UH, CONTROL PARAMETERS, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE INSTRUMENTS, UH, THAT LEAVE THE BASIN.

AND SO YOU HAVE THAT ON THE CONTROL SYSTEM, UH, IN REVIEW OF ALL THE SAMPLE TESTS, THE ONLINE INFORMATION, ALL THAT INDICATED THAT, UH, THE ROOT CAUSE, UH, ORIGINATED WITH, UM, THE, UH, BASED IN NUMBER SIX.

UM, AND AS WE KIND OF CONTINUE GOING THROUGH AFTER ACTION, WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING, UM, NOT ONLY THE SCADA DATA, BUT THE, UM, THE LOG SHEETS, UH, UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS MENTIONED ALSO THE INTERVIEWS

[00:30:01]

CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO AS THE, UH, CELL BASIN WAS OVERWHELMING, THE TOP OF THE FILTERS, UH, INITIALLY THE FILTERS WOULD REMOVE THAT, THAT TURBIDITY, UM, BUT EVENTUALLY THE FILTERS WERE OVERWHELMED AND SOME OF THEM WERE TAKEN OFFLINE, BUT OTHERS CONTINUED ON AND BROKE THROUGH, UH, EXCEEDING THE INDIVIDUAL FILTER TURBIDITY THESE, UH, ACCORDING TO THE TRENDS OF THE SCADA SYSTEM AND THE, UH, RECORDS OF THE LOGS.

UM, THE NEXT STEP OBVIOUSLY IS AS THIS WATER MOVES THROUGH THE FILTERS, IT GOES STRAIGHT INTO, UM, UNDERGROUND STORAGE OR CLEAR WELLS, AND EVENTUALLY WOULD BE PUMPED OUT, UH, TO THE, UH, DISTRIBUTION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO I'M DESCRIBING TO YOU WHAT, AND WHAT WE KNOW, UH, THE NEXT SHIFT, UH, WAS ABLE TO, UH, NOTIFY SUPERVISORY STAFF, UH, TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND BY BETWEEN, UM, 8:00 AM AND NINE 30 IS WHEN WE EXCEEDED THE, UH, FINISHED WATER TURBIDITY OR THE COMBINED FILTER EFFLUENT OF, UM, OF THE TURBIDITY LIMITS AND WAS ULTIMATELY SHUT DOWN AT THAT POINT, UH, OR WAS SHUT DOWN IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROCESS WATER FOR THE CITY.

WE HAD TO RAMP UP BOTH DAVIS AND HANCOCKS TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF, OF, UM, OF THE, UH, THE SYSTEM, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT, BOTH, UM, THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, THE DISINFECTION PROCESS WAS VERY HEALTHY.

SO WE DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER CHEMICAL ISSUES.

UH, THE DISINFECTION FOR VIRUS AND GRD WERE, UH, VERY STRONG.

SO WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A VERY DISINFECTED OR HIGH DISINFECTED, UH, WATER LEAVING THE PLANT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EVENT.

UM, BUT ULTIMATELY BASED ON THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR TURBIDITY IS WHY WE HAD TO ISSUE THE BOIL WATER NOTICE.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, SO WE'RE NOT KIND OF STOPPING THERE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE SOME ONGOING INITIAL ACTIONS, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, INITIAL, UM, MEETINGS THAT I HAD, OR WITH ALL THE PLANTS, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A TOLL FOR NOT ONLY THE STAFF THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, RECOVERING, BUT ALSO THE OTHER PLANTS THAT CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, THE PLANTS IN OPERATION.

UH, SO I HAD TO KIND OF A PIVOT, A LITTLE BIT TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAFF, UH, UH, NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT ALSO THE LEADERSHIP TO MEET WITH STAFF, TO KEEP THEM FOCUSED, TO, UH, ENSURE THAT THEY, UH, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, SAFE DRINKING WATER AND ALLOW US TO, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, REVIEW THE NOTES, BUT ALSO IDENTIFY WAYS THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

SO WE DID GET FEEDBACK FROM THE EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT TOWARDS ANY OF THE, UM, AFTER ACTION RESORT RESULTS HERE.

UH, ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGES IS THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED.

THEY NEED TO, UH, COMMUNICATE FROM ONE TEAM TO ANOTHER.

IF THEY FIND THEMSELVES OVERWHELMED THAT THEY ESCALATE, UH, THEIR, UM, REQUESTS UP AND TO ANY OTHER PLANTS, IF NEED BE AND NOT TO FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE DECISION-MAKING MAY BE, UH, AN UNSURE OF.

SO WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SOME, UH, PROCESSES IN PLACE TO DATE.

UH, ONE OF THOSE IS, UH, ALLOWING THE, UM, SUPERVISORS TO GAIN ACCESS REMOTELY INTO THE PLANTS.

AND SO THAT'S A, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, GROW, UH, IT'S NOT TO CONTROL THE PLANT.

IT IS THERE TO PROVIDE SOME, UM, ADVICE AND INSIGHTS INTO THE PLANT OPERATIONS.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXAMINE THE PROCEDURES.

UH, WE HAD JUST, UM, UH, TRAINED UP ON THE SLUDGE HANDLING PART AND WE'LL EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE PROCEDURES NEED TO BE MODIFIED ANY, UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE ARE ALSO GONNA EVALUATE THEIR TRAINING PROTOCOLS.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR ANYONE WHO PERFORMS PROCESS CONTROL TO HAVE A LICENSED TEACHER WITHIN, WITHIN A YEAR, AND THAT'S WITH ANY OPERATOR.

UH, THAT WAS THE CASE WITH THIS SITUATION.

ALL THREE

[00:35:01]

UH, WE'RE JUST GOING TO EVALUATE THE TRAINING, WHICH IS STRICTLY, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THE LICENSE OR THE TCQ REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO THE, UH, ON THE JOB TRAINING AND PLAN SPECIFIC TRAINING NEEDS, UH, FOR THE FACILITIES AND ALL, AND REALLY ALL THE FACILITIES.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE ALARMS, THE ALARM SET POINTS, AND EVEN ANY, UH, NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES THAT WE CAN, UH, UM, IMPROVE ON.

WE'RE EXPLORING EXTERNAL, UH, NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE PLANT SCADA SYSTEM TO, UM, UM, INDIVIDUALS THROUGH TEXT OR EMAIL.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STRONGLY EXPLORING.

WE HAD TESTED IT OUT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CERTAIN TAGS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO NOTIFY SOME OF OUR CHAIN OF COMMAND OR MANAGEMENT.

SO, UH, WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO, UH, NOT ONLY SHORE UP THESE PROCESS CONTROLS PROCEDURES, BUT ALSO SUPPORT FOR OUR WORKFORCE.

WE KNOW THAT IF WE, UM, AS THE INDUSTRY, AS A WHOLE, UH, SUFFERS FROM THIS, UM, RECRUITMENT OF TALENT AND ALSO THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE PLANTS CONTINUE TO GROW.

SO EVALUATING THE WORKFORCE, DEEDS FOR US IN WATER IS ONE OF THOSE THAT WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE COMMISSIONERS GOT ANY QUESTION, OR DOES THE COMMISSIONER MICHELLE THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE A FEW OF THE EMPLOYEES FROM THE TREATMENT PLANT THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

IN TERMS OF STAFFING, HOW ARE WE, UH, I KNOW, UM, STAFFING AND RETENTION ARE A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL VACANT, UM, OPENINGS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, UM, W WITH THOSE, UH, STAFF ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, HOW ARE WE STAFFING OR BACK-FILLING THOSE ROLES? IS THAT, IS THAT A CHALLENGE? ARE WE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY KIND OF BACKFILL THOSE STAFF MEMBERS? AGAIN, RICK, I NEED YOU TO GO INTO THAT.

OKAY.

YEAH.

WE HAVE, UH, UH, BEEN ABLE TO STAFF THAT, THAT, UH, TEAM, UM, IT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE MOVING FORWARD, BUT, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE.

UH, WE DO HAVE THREE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON OPERATIONS SHIFT.

UH, WE HAVE A, UH, O AND M PROGRAM, SO WE CAN PULL FROM THE MAINTENANCE DEDICATED STAFF THAT ALSO HAVE LICENSURE INTO THIS, INTO THESE TEAMS. AND SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.

UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS RETIRE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE'VE HAD SOME FOLKS LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, UM, KIND OF CAPTURING THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS, IS PRETTY KEY WHEN FOLKS LEAVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF, IF, IF WE'VE HAD, UH, A CHALLENGE AT, AT THE AURA PLANT WITH SOME KEY MEMBERS THAT HAVE LEFT AND WE'VE LOST SOME INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHETHER THAT THAT'S A FACTOR OR A CHALLENGE THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT, I'LL SPEAK TO, UM, WE HAVE LOST, UM, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL OVER THE YEARS, UH, THAT ARE TENURED.

UM, YOU DON'T HAVE THE 20 YEAR TENURED STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE, THAT WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING, UH, OVER THE, OVER THE DECADES THAT HAS KIND OF GONE DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, A LOWER TENURE.

UM, BUT ONE OF THE I'LL MENTION THIS AS ONE OF THE PROCESSES IDENTIFIED THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT WAS, UM, PUTTING TOGETHER A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO GOES OVER ALL THE TASKS THAT, UM, OPERATORS PERFORM MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL PERFORM.

AND THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, WE HAD, UM, A SIGNIFICANT TENURE, UM, TURNOVER IN THE LAST FIVE.

UH, SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO IDENTIFY SOP AS WELL AS TASKS THAT EACH ONES, EACH, UH, CERTAIN AREAS HAVE TO TEND TO AND BEING DOCUMENTED, REVIEWED, AND THEN PUSHED OUT.

AND SO THAT'S AN ONGOING CONTINUOUS PROCESS, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.

SO

[00:40:01]

YEP.

I WOULD ADD JUST IN A, IN A UTILITY WIDE PERSPECTIVE THAT, UH, WE, WE, WE ARE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER AND, UH, AND HAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S ACCELERATED JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITH THE PANDEMIC.

UM, WE HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH IN MONTHLY TURNOVER IN JANUARY.

WE HAD 41 EMPLOYEES LEAVE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY ALONE.

UM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS, YOU SAID GOODBYE TO MANY SENIOR STAFF HERE AT THE COMMISSION OVER THE YEARS, UH, ROUGHLY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, A LITTLE LESS THAN A THIRD OF OUR WORKFORCE HAS LEFT.

AND SO, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT, THAT'S A LOT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO CHURN.

WE HIRE A LOT, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CHALLENGING.

AND I THINK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE AREAS THAT, THAT WE'RE EXAMINING AND NOT, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF PLAN OPERATIONS, BUT HOW WE SUSTAIN THE UTILITY ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO.

WE HAVE A LARGE EMPLOYEE BASE WE'RE BUDGETED FOR 1300 EMPLOYEES AND GROWING, AND, UH, AND, UH, W W UH, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SHERRY HAMPTON, WHO LEADS OUR EMPLOYEE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR HER IN TERMS OF RETENTION, RECRUITMENT, COMPENSATION, UM, UH, TRAINING SAFETY THAT WE'VE DEDICATED A SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO THAT, INCLUDING ENHANCING OUR HIRING CAPABILITIES AND STAFFING.

WE JUST COMPLETED A MARKET STUDY THAT, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE EVALUATING AND HOPEFULLY MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON COMPENSATION CHANGES MOVING FORWARD.

SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ATTUNED TO THE RISK, BUT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT'S, UH, HIGH ON OUR, OUR, UH, IMPORTANCE.

THANK YOU, MR. MURRAY.

UH, OKAY.

WE'LL GET TO THE, UH, COMMISSIONER MANJARI FIRST.

I'M SORRY.

COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.

GO AHEAD.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES.

UM, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.

I'LL TRY TO BE VERY QUICK.

UM, AT THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE, WAS THERE ANY EQUIPMENT AT THE WATER PLANT? WHAT WAS FROZEN, UH, PUMPS BASED ON ANY MECHANICAL GEAR? WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THE PLANT THAT WAS FROZEN? I'LL START THE SCREEN IS BEHIND ME, SO I, I CAN'T SEE YOU.

SO I APOLOGIZE.

UM, UM, UH, I'M NOT ABLE TO SEE YOU AND SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE.

UM, BUT AS I SAID IN MY OPENING, UH, THIS, UH, THIS, THIS WAS NOT CAUSED FROM FROZEN EQUIPMENT.

UM, RICK, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING IN THE PLANT WAS, WAS FROZEN.

I KNOW THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH SOLIDS HANDLING CENTRIFUGE, UM, MATTERS.

AND, UH, AND WE HAD STOPPED HAULING BECAUSE OF THE ICING, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF THE CENTRIFUGES, THE CENTRIFUGES WEREN'T IDENTIFIED AS FROZEN.

I THINK, UM, THERE WAS SOME NOTES, UH, PRIOR TO, UH, THIS EVENT WAS A FROZEN LIME LOOP SYSTEM, BUT THAT WAS THOUGHT OUT, UH, DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY.

SO THAT WASN'T IMPACTED DURING THE, UH, THE EVENT, I WILL SAY, BECAUSE WE WERE, WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE FREEZING EVENT.

WE WERE IN FREEZE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS.

I MEAN, THERE, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS ICING, THE STAFF WERE CERTAINLY, UH, IMPLEMENTING THEIR NEW PROCEDURES.

SO THAT, THAT WAS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

BUT, UH, NOTHING THAT WE KNOW OF NOW THAT CAUSED THIS FROM A FROZEN EQUIPMENT PERSPECTIVE.

THANK YOU.

YOU ALARMS AT THE PLANT AND THREE WORKING ORDER, OR ANY ALARMS, INTENTIONALLY DISABLED SILENCE, OR IN ANY WAY, UH, MADE, SO THEY WEREN'T FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY.

SO I'LL START, UH, SO FAR FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE RECORDS THAT THEY'VE, THEY WERE AVAILABLE AND WORKING CONDITION, UH, WHETHER THEY WERE ACKNOWLEDGED WERE REVIEWING THOSE RECORDS, BUT, UH, THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT WE DID NOT THAT WE HAD DISABLED ALARMS. SO YOU NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE AUDIBLE ALARMS, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE VISUAL ALARMS, UH, BOTH, UH, LOW-LEVEL ALARMS, HIGH LEVEL ALARMS ALARMS FOR THE SEDIMENTATION ALARMS FOR FILTERS, ALARMS FOR TURBIDITY, ALL THOSE WERE FUNCTIONING.

AND WE DID CHECK THE SCADA SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WASN'T, UH, COMPROMISED.

AND, UH, AND WE SEE NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CYBER ATTACK OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT.

THANK YOU.

NEXT QUESTION.

IN THE WRITTEN REPORT, FEBRUARY 11 OF THE TECH TOP ANALYSIS STATED

[00:45:02]

UH, OFFICER AT 2:00 AM LIKE BASIS.

NUMBER SIX WERE ON THE TURBIDITY, LEAVING THE VESSEL EXCEEDED, I BELIEVE 40, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, BY THE 8:00 AM.

2:00 AM.

SO I'LL CLARIFY THAT THE, UM, THE 2:00 AM READINGS WHERE THE BASIN READINGS, UH, THE 8:00 AM READINGS WERE RELATED TO THE FILTERED WATER TURBIDITY, THESE, SO THE 8:00 AM IS THE INDICATION OF EXCEEDING THE TURBIDITY LIMIT AT THE COMBINED FILTER AFFLUENT OR THE SERVICES.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

OKAY.

THOSE 2:00 AM READINGS SHOULD HAVE CHECKED YOUR DAY RESPONSE.

TRUE.

THERE, THERE WERE, UM, INDICATIONS THAT YES, THE TURBIDITY IS ON THE BASINS WOULD HAVE, UM, INITIATED A RESPONSE, BUT ALSO WE'RE REVIEWING THE RESPONSES TO THE FILTERS WHERE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN IN BETWEEN 2:00 AM AND 8:00 AM.

I TH I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS WHY AS THIS KIND OF WORKED ITS WAY THROUGH THE PLANT, UH, THAT THERE WASN'T, UH, A, UH, UH, MORE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO ESCALATE OR TO TURN OFF BASED IN SIX.

UM, AND THEN AS IT CASCADED INTO THE FILTERS, THEY, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR QUESTIONS THERE, YOU KNOW, FINISH WATER, WHAT WE CALL TAP WATER TAPS, TAP WATER TURBIDITY WAS VERY LOW, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT UNTIL IT EXCEEDED, I MEAN, IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE TROUBLE AS THIS SYSTEM WAS WORKING ITS WAY DOWNSTREAM, FINISH WATER STATE, FINE UNTIL THIS HIGH TURBIDITY WATER ULTIMATELY STARTED BEING PUMPED OUT.

AND, UH, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.

THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO STOP THIS, UH, EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, UM, WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON, YOU HAD THREE OPERATORS THAT WERE AFTER YOU ALREADY BOUGHT A PLAN BETWEEN 2:00 AM AND 8:00 AM.

AND WHEN YOU REALIZE THE RAMIFICATIONS THAT THIS, UH, ACCIDENT WAS GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF SCALE, BOIL WATER NOTICE WHEN YOU TALK TO THOSE OPERATORS AND SAID, WHAT HAPPENED WALKED IN? THEY SAID, WELL, COMMISSIONER WORK, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW OF INTERVIEWING OPERATORS AND SUPERVISORS AND SUPERINTENDENTS AND DAY SHIFT AND NIGHT SHIFT THE SHIFT BEFORE THE SHIFT, AFTER THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THEIR RESPONSE WAS.

WELL, THE NEXT MORNING, OR WHENEVER YOU GOT AHOLD OF THE THREE MEN THAT WERE THERE WERE NOW SUSPENDED, WHAT DID THEY SAY HAPPENED? I THINK WE, WE WILL DOCUMENT ALL OF THAT WHEN WE RELEASED OUR, OUR FINAL REPORT OF THE, UH, INVESTIGATION OF THE HR MATTERS.

THOSE TWO THEN CONCLUDES MY CROSS AND CHILL.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MORIATTI AND VICE CHAIR CASTLEBERRY.

I THINK IT'S NOT A, UM, JUST, AND YOU PROBABLY RICK ALREADY ADDRESSED WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCADA.

UM, COULD IT BE PROGRAMMED TO JUST STOP THE HIGH SERVICE PUMPS WHEN THE FINISHED WATER TURBIDITY IS AN EXCEEDANCE, WHICH WOULD REALLY THROW OFF SOME ALARMS AND GET SOME ATTENTION THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE OVER OVERRIDDEN BY THE OPERATORS TO GET THE WATER OUT.

WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING THE, UM, THE OPTION FOR, UH, FILTERED WATER TURBIDITY TO BE ACKNOWLEDGING, UM, HIGH TURBIDITY FOR A INITIATION OF A BACKWASH OR SHUT DOWN, UM, HIGH SERVICE.

UM, PUMPS WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE, UM, UH, NOT STANDARD PRACTICE, BUT DEFINITELY, UH, LOOKING INTO THE FILTER OPTION.

UH, SO THAT WAY IT DOES NOT ENTER THE, UH, CLEARWELL UM, WITH HIGH TURBIDITY.

AND THEN JUST LOOKING, UM, AT SORT OF PREVENTING AND MAINTAINING RESILIENCY FOR THE FUTURE FOR ANOTHER EVENT, IS THERE A WAY TO ISOLATE PARTS OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, LIKE ALL REC

[00:50:01]

IS THERE A WAY TO SORT OF PLAN FOR THE FUTURE IN WAYS THAT YOU COULD ISOLATE? BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE PLANTS, TWO OF WHICH PERFORMING WELL THAT COULD HAVE CONTINUED TO DO THEIR THING WITHOUT SUCH CITYWIDE PANIC? WELL, I'LL START BY, UH, SAYING THAT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LARGEST SIGNIFICANT PLANT OFFLINE, UH, TO, UH, MAINTAIN THE CITY DISTRIBUTION WITH THE OTHER TWO IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE MOVING WATER SOUTH, UH, IS THROUGH TWO POINTS.

AND SO, UM, THE INTEGRATION RIGHT NOW IS OF A BENEFIT TO HAVE THESE, UH, THREE PLANTS, UH, CONNECTED.

UM, WE WILL REVIEW SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THAT IS A CHALLENGE TO HAVE A SEPARATION OF DISTRIBUTION MY PLANT, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LARGEST ONE, UM, SERVING NOT ONLY WHAT YOU MENTIONED CENTRAL AND SOUTH.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONER , UM, DURING THE, THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, UM, THERE ARE WAYS, UH, TO ASSESS WHERE THE SOLIDS HAVE GONE AND, AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO DIVERSE, DISPERSE THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND JUST TOUCHING ON, UM, COMMISSIONER CASTLEBERRY, HIS COMMENT, THERE IS WAYS TO ISOLATE RESERVOIRS AND, UM, CALCULATIONS IN WAYS TO PROVE THAT THIS IS HOW FAST IT MOVES THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.

IT'S GONE NOW, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS TDS, WE KNEW WE HAD A SMALL LEAK.

UM, BY THE TIME WE WERE ALLOWED TO DRINK THE WATER, AGAIN, WE ALL KNEW BEING IN, IN ENGINEERS, THAT IT WAS ALREADY OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

IF IT WASN'T THE SYSTEM AT ALL, IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF INVESTIGATING, UM, UH, ALONG WITH OPERATIONS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE DOING, UM, LOOKING AT EDUCATING OR PARTNERING WITH TCEQ SO THAT THEY AREN'T SO DEFENSIVE.

IF WE SAY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, THIS IS HOW WE'RE HANDLING IT.

AND THIS IS HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS PROTECTED AND WE'RE MEETING ALL OF OUR REQUIREMENTS.

IS THAT BEEN CONSIDERED, OR I THINK YOU'RE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO HYDRAULIC MODELING? UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE SYSTEM IN RESPONSE TO THE SYSTEM IS ONE OPTION, OR IF YOU ONLY HAVE A NEGATIVE TEST AT ONE RESERVOIR SHUTTING THAT RESERVOIR AND ISOLATING IT, UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND SO MANY HOURS.

AND I THINK THAT THE WAY, THE WAY OUR, AND WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH TCQ ON, ON THESE TYPES OF OPTIONS, WHETHER OR NOT, UM, HYDRAULIC MODELING MAKES SENSE AND HOW, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO PIVOT TO THAT LEVEL OF PLANNING.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE STILL TO GO THROUGH IS AN APPROVAL, UM, DISTRIBUTION PLAN, UH, FOR NOT ONLY, UH, IDENTIFYING THE AREA THAT, UM, IS IMPACTED, BUT ALSO RESENDING THE AREA THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.

UH, THERE'S ALWAYS COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN, UH, ALSO WATER AND TCQ ON SOME OF THOSE SCENARIO PLANNING, UH, ESPECIALLY IF, IF THERE MAY BE A, UH, KIND OF, UH, A CONTAMINANT LEVEL.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE SOME OF THE PLANNING OPTIONS.

UM, IT IS, IT IS A STRUGGLE FOR US TO, TO ANTICIPATE EACH EVENT THERE THEY ARE UNIQUE IN ITSELF.

UH, AND THIS ONE WAS UNIQUE AS WELL.