-TO: LINDA REICH, CITY MANAGER
FROM: HYE JIN LEE, PE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
SUBJECT
title
Amendment No. 1 to Professional Services Agreement with Calgon Carbon Corporation for as-needed Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) removal and reactivation services.
end
RECOMMENDATION
Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement for as-needed Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) removal and reactivation services for the City’s Water Treatment Facilities with Calgon Carbon Corporation (Contract 2026-096) for $350,000, for a total annual contract amount not to exceed $500,000; and authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents on behalf of the City.
body
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of $350,000 for the additional anticipated services needed for the fiscal year is included in the FY 2025-26 Budget Water Fund (520).
CITY OF CHINO MISSION / VISION / VALUES / STRATEGIC ISSUES
The recommendation detailed above further the City’s values and strategic issues that serve as key pillars on which identified priorities, goals, and action plans are built, by fostering:
• Financial Stability
• Responsible Long-Range Planning
|
Revenue: Click or tap here to enter text.
|
Expenditure: 5207300-43050 |
|
Transfer In: Click or tap here to enter text. |
Transfer Out: Click or tap here to enter text. |
BACKGROUND
The City currently uses Calgon Carbon Corporation (Calgon Carbon) to provide Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) removal and reactivation services at the Eastside and Benson Water Treatment Facilities.
GAC is a critical component of the City’s water treatment process, used primarily to remove organic compounds, chlorine, chloramine, taste and odor compounds, and disinfection by-products (DBPs). The City specifically uses GAC to remove 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) from groundwater to meet regulatory standards.
The City operates 24 carbon filtration vessels, each containing 20,000 pounds of GAC. Over time, the carbon reaches its absorption capacity, referred to as “breakthrough,” and must be replaced. Replacement can be accomplished by using new "virgin" carbon or by reactivating the spent carbon. The City has elected to pursue reactivation as a cost-effective and sustainable approach.
Under this method, Calgon Carbon personnel remove the spent carbon and transport it to their facility, where it undergoes high-temperature thermal reactivation (600–900 °C). The reactivated carbon is then reused during future GAC exchanges, reducing the City’s reliance on more expensive virgin carbon.
On July 1, 2025, the City entered into a sole source professional services agreement with Calgon Carbon Corporation to provide GAC removal and reactivation services at an annual not-to-exceed amount of $150,000 per year for a five-year term, covering FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30.
The City’s water treatment systems utilize Calgon’s proprietary FILTRASORB 400—a GAC product manufactured exclusively by Calgon Carbon through a patented reagglomeration process using select bituminous coal. These systems also include proprietary ion-exchange components that require service by Calgon Carbon–certified personnel to maintain equipment integrity and regulatory compliance. City staff have confirmed that Calgon Carbon is the sole qualified vendor able to meet these technical and operational requirements.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
The current agreement with Calgon Carbon specifies rates of $1.37 per pound for reactivated carbon and $2.20 per pound for virgin carbon. The rate aligns with market trends and the continued use of Calgon Carbon’s proprietary materials and services. Calgon Carbon Corporation has provided fixed unit pricing for FY2025-26 from the original agreement executed on July 1, 2025, under the City Manager’s authority, due to an immediate need to exchange the media.
During the most recent operating cycle, staff monitored contaminant concentrations through the GAC vessels and confirmed that carbon usage is expected to remain consistent with prior years; however, the original agreement needs to be increased because the original quantities did not align with actual needs. To meet projected needs and account for GAC replacement frequency or material costs, staff recommends that the City Council approve Amendment No. 1 to the professional services agreement with Calgon Carbon Corporation for GAC removal and reactivation services.
In accordance with Chapter 3.32 of the Chino Municipal Code, the City Council may approve sole source purchases when goods or services are only available from one provider. Staff determined Calgon Carbon is the sole source for as-needed granular activated carbon (GAC) removal and replacement services and recommends awarding a contract in the amount $350,000, for a total annual contract of $500,000/year for five years, from FY2025-26 through FY2029-30.
Attachment: Amendment No. 1 – Calgon Carbon Corporation