HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-293 Agrmt - Medford Water Commission
WHOLESALE WATER SERVICE AGREEMENT
THIS WATER SERVICE AGREEMENT (Agreement), made and entered in duplicate to commence
on the first day of October, 2016, between the City of Ashland, a municipal corporation of the
State of Oregon, acting as purchaser (Ashland), and the City of Medford, a municipal
corporation of the State of Oregon, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners,
acting as vendor (MWC), together referred to as the Parties.
RECITALS:
1) MWC is an entity established under the Home Rule Charter (Charter) adopted by the
citizens of the City of Medford, comprised of five citizens appointed by the Mayor and
confirmed by the City Council, to manage the Water Fund for the purpose of supplying
inhabitants of the City of Medford with water; and
2) Under Section 19 of the Charter, the MWC is authorized to sell water and/or supply
facilities outside the legal boundaries of the City of Medford, only if said water and/or supply
facilities are surplus to the needs of the inhabitants of the City of Medford, and meet certain
conditions of MWC Resolution No. 1058; and
3) Under the Charter, the MWC is authorized to set rates for City of Medford inhabitants,
and to make all necessary rules and regulations for the sale, disposition and use of water and
water service from the City of Medford water system, and the MWC has adopted such rules and
regulations; and
4) Per the MWC's projections, reports and plans, the MWC finds it has surplus water and
supply facilities capacity available in its system to serve Ashland; and
5) Ashland desires to purchase surplus treated and transported water from MWC from
October through April, and purchase surplus supply facilities treatment and transport services
for Ashland's own water appropriated under Ashland's own state-issued water rights from May
through September;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual promises herein,
the Parties mutually agree as follows:
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 1 of 9
AGREEMENT:
ARTICLE 1. SCOPE OF SURPLUS WATER SUPPLY AND SERVICE
Subject to Article 3 of this Agreement, MWC agrees to supply surplus water up to a combined
(from all connections) maximum of 1480 gallons per minute (GPM) for the months of October
through April, and surplus facilities capacity to treat and transport water up to a combined
(from all connections) maximum of 1480 GPM for the months of May through September.
Ashland agrees to provide sufficient water storage as part of its water system to assure that the
maximum rate of withdrawal in GPM by Ashland is not exceeded.
Upon written request by Ashland, this Agreement may be amended to provide supplemental
supply and service to Ashland if MWC determines that it has surplus capacity for Ashland's use,
and Ashland agrees to reimburse MWC the reasonable cost of providing such supplemental
supply and service.
ARTICLE 2. ASHLAND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM EMERGENCY
Upon notice to MWC by Ashland of a distribution system emergency, MWC will use its best
efforts to provide supplemental water supply or services during the emergency.
For purpose of this agreement, "distribution system emergency" means: Any human or natural
caused event that disables or impairs the distribution system such that its use constitutes an
immediate threat to human life or health.
ARTICLE 3. MWC CONNECTIONS
MWC owns and is responsible for the construction, extension, maintenance, and operation of
the MWC system up to the point of and including the master Ashland meter. Ashland shall pay
all costs of connections to the MWC system including initial metering, initial and ongoing
backflow protection, and annual testing of the backflow device, all in accordance with MWC
standards. MWC shall monthly read and annually test the master meter and provide readings
and test results to Ashland.
Ashland's water supply is provided by the following master meter(s) with backflow connections
to MWC:
• 10" Rosemount Spool Mag Meter at the Talent-Ashland-Phoenix (TAP) Pump Station on
Samike Drive, Medford, Oregon
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 2 of 9
Temporary emergency connections to MWC with prior approval can be provided at the
following location(s):
N/A
The following special conditions concerning connections to MWC apply:
• The water supplied by MWC is limited under this agreement to 2.13 million gallons per
day (MGD), after having paid, or arranged to pay, all System Development Charges
(SDCs) for that amount. In the future, Ashland can request up to a total of 3.0 MGD by
paying future SDC rates on the remaining 0.87 MG.
• MWC acknowledges Ashland's right to exchange and transfer water between the cities
of Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix, Oregon within the total cumulative contracted GPM of
all three noted cities served through TAP and their individual wholesale customer
agreements with MWC.
ARTICLE 4. MWC REGULATIONS
Water service under this Agreement shall be in accordance with Section 30 SURPLUS WATER
and Section 31 PROVISIONS RELATING TO UTILITY AND MUNICIPAL CUSTOMERS of the MWC
Regulations Governing Water Service (Regulations), as now in effect or as may be amended. If
there is any inconsistency between this Agreement and the Regulations, the Regulations
control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein is intended to relieve MWC of its
obligation to supply surplus water in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, except as
dictated by Federal/State regulations outside the control of MWC. The Parties acknowledge
that implementation of this Agreement and the Regulations are subject to federal or state
directives.
MWC shall promptly provide Ashland a copy of any amendments to the Regulations.
--vr~ r
ARTICLE S URBANIZATION POLICY
Initial
• -1999, as may be ameRded. [NAPAE OF- edits:
-AS ether-A
QP~] is attaehed to this AgFeemeRt aS Exhibit A. [NAME OF GIP~] shall pFemptly Re4y MWC;
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 3 of 9
ARTICLE 6. MEETING FUTURE WATER DEMANDS
Water and water services provided by MWC under this Agreement are pursuant to water rights
held by the MWC and Ashland. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to confer upon
either party a legal or beneficial interest in each other's water rights, or to prevent either party
from seeking additions or alterations to their water rights as deemed necessary.
Ashland shall acquire and maintain such water rights as needed to meet the demand within its
service area during the months of May through September. Ashland may use the MWC intake
facility, located at the intersection of Table Rock Road and the Rogue River in White City, as the
designated point of diversion for Ashland water rights. MWC shall cooperate in the perfection
of any Ashland water rights. Ashland currently holds water rights with a diversion point on the
Rogue River at the MWC Intake Facility site at the rate of N/A cubic feet per second
and/or volume of 1000 acre feet. Delivery of such Ashland water through MWC facilities shall
be subject to the same terms and conditions as delivery of surplus MWC water. MWC shall
Initial
measure and record at its Robert A. Duff Water Treatment Plant the amount of water
edits:
withdrawn from the Rogue River by MWC and its municipal water service customers under
each of their respective water rights. In its monthly water service invoice, MWC shall provide
water use data for Ashland. [NAME OP GIPV] `'hall pFeyide 11L1WG updated demand pFejeGtieR
ARTICLE 7. SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CHARGES
Pursuant to Resolution No. 774, MWC has established Water System Development Charges Initial
(SDCs) and supporting methodology to finance future MWC transmission and treatment edits:
facilities expansions. cnrs ^+r ply to all Ylew ewsteRgeFs iRGlUdiRg eustemeFs of FnwRieipa
[NAME nP QPT ] r=ustemeFs. MWC reviews the SDCs annually and reserves the right, in its sole .
discretion, to modify or replace the SDCs with a different financing mechanism for system
improvements.
Initial
All SI)Gs Gellected by [NAME-0-P CITY] will be held iR a separate aGG9URt aRd fE)FwaFded te MWC edits:
shall pFevide MWG with a eepy ef the seetieR WithiR the aRRUal [NAME QP QP~j audit that
[NAME OP CITY] EIR @RRual aGG96IntiRg of all SIGs r ellorted
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 4 of 9
MWC utilizes a utility basis for determining the water usage rate it charges Ashland. Under this
rate analysis, Ashland is required to pay a return on investment for its share of the facilities paid
for by MWC. Facilities funded by SDCs shall not be included in the return on investment
portion of the rate analysis.
Initial
MW(; shall FeRdeF teehRieal assistaRee to [NAME QP GIP~] iR deteHniRiRg SDC-S. MWG Shall edits:
defeRd [NAME QF CITY] agaiRst aRy legal aCAi9R 9F appeals whieh m-y eveF the
Upon termination of this Agreement, the following refund policy shall apply:
(a) MWC shall return to Ashland its prorated share of the unexpended balance of the SDCs
fund. This prorated share shall be based upon the actual unexpended SDCs collected
by Ashland for the specific facilities funded by the SDCs, plus the interest earned.
(b) MWC shall return to Ashland a prorated share of the depreciated plant value of the
specific MWC facilities funded by the SDCs and already installed. The prorated share
shall be a percentage based upon the total amount of SDCs paid by Ashland divided by
the total SDCs collected and used to fund the facility, not including interest earned
during the years in which the SDCs were collected.
(c) In order to avoid a financial hardship, MWC shall develop a reasonable schedule of up
to five (5) years for repayment of the depreciated value of the specific MWC facilities
funded by the SDCs.
(d) At the request of Ashland, the MWC shall provide an accounting of the refunds made
pursuant to this section.
ARTICLE 8. PAYMENTS TO MWC
Ashland shall pay monthly for all water and services provided by MWC at MWC's scheduled
wholesale rates then in place. Payment shall be made within ten (10) days after the meeting of
the Ashland's Council following receipt by Ashland of a statement of charges from MWC.
MWC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change (with prior written notification of a rate
study review) said rate at anytime upon sixty (60) days written notice to Ashland, following
rate procedures and protocols in the MWC Regulations.
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 5 of 9
ARTICLE 9. TERM OF AGREEMENT
This term of this Agreement shall be five (5) years from its commencement. Ashland may, at its
option, extend the term for three additional five-year periods, which periods would run through
October of 20261 2031, and 2036 respectively. Extensions shall be subject to the same terms
and conditions as this Agreement. Written notice of the election to exercise a five-year
extension of this Agreement must be given to MWC not later than January 1St of the year in
which the Agreement would otherwise expire. If Ashland fails to provide MWC such notice, this
Agreement shall be deemed canceled at the end of the term then in effect. MWC shall
continue service for a reasonable period, determined in MWC's sole discretion, to allow
Ashland to secure other sources of water. Provided, however, Section 19 of the Charter of the
City of Medford limits the term of water service contracts to 20 years and, therefore, the
obligations of MWC under this Agreement, including renewal periods, shall not exceed that
period of time.
ARTICLE 10. ASSIGNMENTS
Ashland shall make no assignment of this Agreement without written permission from MWC.
Any approved assignee or successor shall agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE 11. WATER CURTAILMENT PLAN
During periods of drought or emergency, Ashland shall be subject to the MWC Water
Curtailment Plan, per MWC Resolution No. 1345, unless Ashland has in effect a state-approved
and adopted Water Curtailment Plan at least as stringent as that of MWC. In the event of a
conflict between the Ashland plan and the MWC plan, the MWC plan shall control. The MWC
shall give Ashland as much advance warning as possible prior to curtailment of water supplies.
The level of curtailment shall be determined by MWC based on the severity of the anticipated
shortage. Ashland shall be responsible for enforcing the MWC curtailment plan or the above
mentioned Ashland plan in its service area.
MWC will require and apply emergency curtailment of water use in an equitable, fair, and
consistent manner consistent with Resolution 1345. Continued service during periods of
emergency shall neither be construed as a waiver nor limitation of any kind on any water rights
held by MWC, or a waiver or curtailment of any water rights held by Ashland, nor as affecting
any other terms in this Agreement.
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 6 of 9
ARTICLE 12. ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORTING
MWC will gather annual water quality data and prepare informational reports as required
under state Consumer Confidence Reporting (CCR) rules. These CCR reports will include water
quality information for MWC and all participating municipal water customers. RRyal ester
Initial
edits:
billed sepaFately to °'rh
[NAME QP CITY] te MVVG Re lateF thaR ApFil 1st ef each yeaF. if bulk R;ai!iRg is the pFiMaFy
i [NAME OF CITY] shall alse pFevide MWG with pestal Foutes,
> WhiGh may impact FespeRSibilities
fnr [NAME QP CITY-
ME OF
GIB Ashland shall be responsible for preparation of its own annual CCR, and MWC will
provide MWC data by April 1st of the delivery year.
MWC maintains water quality test points throughout the MWC system and one specifically at
the master meter location(s) of Ashland. These test points are used to collect water samples
for meeting required state water quality parameters on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis.
All information collected is of public record and is accessible through state or MWC databases.
Responsibility for water quality is transferred to Ashland at the point of the master meter
location(s), except where water quality problems are attributable to MWC.
ARTICLE 13. MUTUAL INDEMNITY
To the extent allowed by law, Ashland and MWC shall each defend, indemnify and hold the
other, and their officers, employees, and agents harmless from any and all claims, suits, actions,
or losses arising solely out of the acts and omissions of the Party's own officers, employees, or
agents while acting under this agreement.
ARTICLE 14. PARTIAL INVALIDITY
If any term, covenant, condition, or provision of this Agreement is found by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, the remainder of the provisions
hereof shall remain in force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired, or invalidated
thereby.
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 7 of 9
ARTICLE 15. INTEGRATION
This Agreement represents the entire understanding of MWC and Ashland as to those matters
contained herein. No prior oral or written understanding shall be of any force or effect with
respect to those matters covered herein. This Agreement may not be modified or altered
except in writing signed by both parties.
ARTICLE 16. DEFAULT
For purposes of this Agreement "default" means failure to comply with any of the terms of this
Agreement. If either party determines that a default has occurred, it shall provide the other
party written notice of the default, which such party shall have thirty days in which (a) to cure
the default, (b) show that the default is of such a nature that it cannot be reasonably cured
within thirty days, or (c) show that no default occurred.
MWC and Ashland will work in good faith to amicably resolve the default. If after thirty days of
the notice of default, MWC determines, in its sole discretion, that Ashland is unable or unwilling
to cure the default within a reasonable time, MWC may impose escalating penalties as follows:
(a) ten percent surcharge for a period of thirty days; (b) twenty percent surcharge for the next
thirty days; and (c) termination of this Agreement. Such penalties are in addition to any other
remedies at law or equity that may be available to MWC. Failure to issue notice of default or
to enforce its remedies under this Article 16 shall not preclude MWC from taking such action
for future defaults.
If after thirty days, Ashland determines, in its sole discretion, that MWC is unable or unwilling
to cure the default within a reasonable time, Ashland may terminate this Agreement and
pursue any other remedies at law or in equity that may be available to Ashland.
ARTICLE 17. FORCE MAJEURE
Neither party hereto shall be liable for delays in performance under this Agreement by reason
of fires, floods, earthquakes, acts of God, wars, strikes, embargoes, necessary plant repairs or
replacement of equipment, of any other cause whatsoever beyond the control of such party,
whether similar or dissimilar to the causes herein enumerated. This clause does not include
causes related to water supply and demand planning or failure to engage in such planning.
ARTICLE 18. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
If a dispute arises out of or relates to this contract, and if the dispute cannot be settled through
negotiation, the parties agree first to try to settle the dispute by non-binding mediation before
resorting to litigation or other process. The parties agree to share equally the costs of
mediation.
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 8 of 9
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be signed by their
proper officers on the dates noted below.
THE CITY OF MEDFORD THE CITY OF ASHLAND
BY AND THROUGH ITS
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
t
Leigh John on, Chair or
~ eels, City Recorder City Recorder
1.1 1 /1nIQ_ S~ ~
i
Date Date
G~
AP OV I A T
Ashland d City Attomey
vat 11 <L• t~
Water Service Agreement - City of Ashland Page 9 of 9